Partners
by dayzejane
Summary: AU River/Riddick PostBMD ThruPB n beyond: River n Riddick meet under peculiar circumstances,after a job gone wrong on the HG, they're drifting through the black plus one, unknowingly tracked by a crew that cant let go. darker River, darker everyone
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So for all of you following The Beast and The Ballerina, don't panic, I'm not giving it up, this was just a one-shot 'cause River kept whining she was sick of being the crazy sweet little girl, and even Riddick got sick of the whining so I wrote it down to have some peace. If you want more let me know, if you think I've gone off the deep end and should quit while I'm ahead please please tell me that as well.**

**Don't owe a thing…just another crazy with voices in her head.**

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River landed the stolen shuttle five miles outside of the city limits of New Camden on the moon Feros. She calculated she had at least seven hours until the crew of Serenity awoke to find her gone and her note about where they could find the shuttle, but by the time they would be able to return she would be long gone. Simon and the captain would be furious, they would assume she had had another "episode" and head back at full burn needles dripping with poison.

The truth of the matter was though River hadn't had an "episode" since Miranda, not having several thousand silently screaming voices in her head had made it possible for her to distinguish her feelings and thoughts from those of others, and analyze said thoughts to discard the unnecessary and keep the relevant. The Miranda secret had been like a boil on her brain, once popped the pressure release had been nearly instantaneous. Granted she still was not sane, that was not a possibility, they had removed a vital piece of her mind, you couldn't repair something which was missing a piece, but you could reprogram it and rewire it to function. That was what the crew of Serenity and Simon especially would never understand.

She had stopped taking the meds shortly after Miranda, unbeknownst to Simon; she would force the cocktail of pills back up every morning. They had never helped to begin with, only numbing her mind and leaving her even more defenseless to the constant barrage of emotions and thoughts. She had tried to make him understand but he heard nothing she had said in his never ending quest to "fix" his broken Mei-mei. He attributed her recovery to his medications and became even more insistent she remained on them.

The no guns rule still held true unless she was on a job and supervised, if the captain had known about the shiv she carried everywhere strapped to her thigh he probably would have ruptured something. She knew they each loved her and cared for her in their own way, even Jayne had developed a begrudging respect for the girl since Miranda, but none of them trusted her. In a way she could understand that, she was a government trained assassin with behavioral triggers, but understanding it and not being hurt by it were two different things. It had been three years since Miranda, three years of a steady forward progression of improvement and yet still each and every one of them feared her. It was nearly debilitating some days and soul crushing on others, but she had swallowed without complaint as if it all was just another bitter pill, she was done swallowing pills.

River shouldered her duffel after powering down the shuttle, taking in the last bit of Serenity she would see for a very long time, if ever again. Lovingly she ran her fingers across the controls; it had been Inara's shuttle before she had moved into the captain's bunk and still smelled vaguely of incense and perfume. "Goodbye," she said, her voice a barely audible whisper, and abruptly she turned and walked out the hatch locking the door behind her.

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Riddick stood inhaling deeply the scent of fresh blood, he dragged his tongue along the blade of his favorite shiv, and the beast purred in pleasure, another merc bites the dust. The streets of New Camden were a dangerous place, and no one would question another dead body in a dark alleyway, he strode confidently out into the busy street, emerging from the shadows and melding instantly with the crowd. He wasn't worried about witnesses either, the people of New Camden had wisely adopted a policy of looking the other way, it was survival not indifference.

Terraforming on the moon had gone badly, couldn't grow shit in the soil so instead sprawling green cities and farms as was originally planned the rock had turned into a cesspool of factories and mines. The cities were slums; the people were hypes and drunks, Feros literally bred crime. It was the kind of rock Riddick felt at home on, where he could move freely without standing out, just another badass on the streets, until some _hun dan_ (bastard) got ballsy and decided to try to fuck with him, then they found out the hard way just exactly _**who**_ it was they were fucking with.

Electric energy shot through his veins from the rush of the kill, but his steps were steady and purposeful, he still had business tonight, and the fucking greenie merc had made him late, hadn't even been a team, a one man show, and that was just fucking insulting.

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It hadn't taken River long to reach the outskirts of the city, proper weapons were the first order of business, having never been allowed to acquire her own while on board Serenity, the only one she had to her name was the shiv she had shaped herself. River knew she didn't need a weapon, anything and everything was a weapon, unconsciously she had calculated at least nine ways to kill with the bent garbage pail lid she had walked by. Most of the shops were closed at this time of night but after an hour or so of picking through random minds River found the name and location of a shop which was opened from sundown to sunrise. It said something about the city itself, that there were gun shops and businesses which only operated at night, it said it was a dangerous place, a place where people didn't ask questions, a good place to hide.

River knew obtaining employment would be difficult, she may have been a killer, but she definitely did not look like one. She had left the silk baby doll dresses aboard Serenity along with the imaginary image of a little girl, and only taken the cargos and tanks she'd worn on jobs. Her treasured shiv was now holstered against her forearm, a visible reminder she was not a helpless little girl, and her hair was tied up and pinned in place with sharpened metal chopsticks. It felt odd so contained and rebelled, strands escaping around her face and neck, but it made her look older, she mentally told it to behave and deal with it. Employment was vital to survival.

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Riddick lowered his goggles before walking into the brightly lit shop, a small bell chimed as he pushed open the door. The shop was empty save for its owner, a fat fuck, went by the name Marcos, smelt like whiskey and piss. Riddick slowly approached the counter, purposely allowing his steps to echo through the empty store.

Marcos looked up from a magazine he had been flipping through, and his face paled slightly, Riddick smirked at the sound of an accelerated heart rate and the delicious scent of fear which suddenly spiked from the fucker. Marcos didn't know him, not yet, but he knew when to be afraid, and he had every reason to be. The man had information Riddick wanted, and he was very good at making people talk, pain was a great motivator, and pain was his specialty.

"Can I help you?" The man asked, his eyes darting to what Riddick assumed was a concealed weapon beneath the counter, he made the mental note.

Riddick didn't answer, silence made people uncomfortable, and he wanted Marcos very uncomfortable. He continued walking toward the counter.

"Ain't lookin' for trouble," his eyes darted to the concealed gun again.

Silently, save the pounding of his boots against the concrete floor Riddick reached the counter. His hand shot out grabbing hold of Marcos' greasy hair and slammed his face into the counter top. Blindly Marcos reached for his gun, mistake, man wouldn't have been able to fire it anyway, showed his cards to early. Riddick's free arm reached forward grabbing hold of the barrel of the shotgun and violently wrenched it from the man's grip tossing it carelessly across the floor. "Got words to be had, we can do it easy like and I can be gone, nothing more than a gorram nightmare, or," Riddick's voice was gravelly and full of promise as his free hand went for a shiv. He drew a deep line down the left side of the man's face, a ribbon of crimson flowed freely and he lowered his head to inhale, "we could do this the hard way, hard for you," he smirked, "kinda like it myself," he yanked Marcos head back, "_Dong ma _(understand me?)

"_Dong xi_ (clearly understand)!" Riddick wrinkled his noise in disgust as the fresh scent of piss permeated his nostrils.

Riddick's head jerked up at the sound of the bell above the door. The girl that walked in smelt earthy and wild, pale skinned and slender, alone and not a trace of fear as her eyes leveled on him. Her head tilted slightly to the side as if she was contemplating something, but she did not speak or alter her gaze.

River tilted her head, the scene before her giving her pause. She reached out into the caramel skinned man's mind, and found much more than a man. A beast raged inside, he was a killer, a predator; it was bred into his bones and blood, FURYAN. The word sliced across her brain, he did not know it but his beast did, though the beast could not name it and so he could not tell the man, what the beast knew was instinct, it was the hunt, it was the smell of fresh blood, the sound of metal claws ripping through flesh. River was not afraid, she was intrigued, the sound of his voice, rough and brutal pulled her back into herself.

"Move along little girl," he growled out, "shop's closed."

"The girl cares nothing for your search for truth and she will neither hinder nor aid, your business is your own, as hers belongs to her." She dismissed the men and continued down the aisle.

"You deaf girl?" He barked infuriated by the little gou shi (shit).

"Negative," she answered absently as she ran her fingers along a matching pair of silver handguns, they would do nicely. "If the girl was auditory impaired she would have not responded at all, the girl has responded and proven she heard the Riddick's statement."

"You know me girl?" He growled momentarily forgetting the fat man, but not releasing his grip.

"Negative as well, the girl has no desire to divulge the nature of her information," she spoke as adjusted a two gun hip holster and slid the handguns into place, yes they would do nicely. "the girl require clips for the Xt-247s."

Marcos blinked unsure of what to make of the progression of his current predicament, he hoped to hell the girl was lying about not hindering. "End of the row, fourth shelf down." He decided being nice to anyone with a gun who wasn't the sadistic _hun dan_ (bastard) gripping his hair was a good idea.

"The girl thanks you, but feels obliged to tell your assistance comes with no repayment, the girl meant what she said."

Riddick growled low his head jerking back down to Marcos, "Hands on the fuckin' counter." He barked and when Marcos complied Riddick drove a shiv through his right hand.

Marcos howled in agony, "_Ren_ _ci_ _fo_ (merciful Buddha)!"

River ignored the man's cries, he was an obstacle to the Riddick and the Riddick made her curious, she wanted to know more, and killing him would earn her no secrets. She cleared the shelf of its available ammo, slamming a full clip into each gun.

Riddick watched the girl move as if he was of no consequence, there was no fear or even apprehension, she had dismissed him as a non threat. The girl was either _feng le_ (insane) or incredibly stupid.

"The girl is neither." She called over her shoulder as her fingers danced over a selection of blades, her mind analyzing and assessing, discarding those too large or off balance, she settled on three, two which were long and curved, shaped to pass across the knuckles, optimal for her fighting style, she tucked these behind her and into her waist band, pulling her tank down to cover them. The third was similar to the one she had shaped, slender, the handle subtly curving away opposite the blade, she discarded her makeshift holster on the floor and slide the semi-matching blades into her boots.

Marcos sobbed beneath Riddick's grip and tried to remove the blade from his right hand with his left. Riddick caught the movement out of the corner of his eyes, and drove other shiv through the man's good hand, pinning it on top of his right, blood spewing from the wound like a fountain, "Didn't tell you to move," He growled out distractedly, still watching the girl as she selected her weapons, she had answered his thoughts as if he had spoken them out loud, he remember her reassuring Marcos she wasn't there to help, when she'd first said it he'd thought it was random, had Marcus been wondering if she was lying?

"Affirmative," River answered as she tossed three grenades and four flash bombs into her duffel, pocketing an extra one of each, she had come to share Jayne's affinity for big bangs.

Riddick smirked, "Tell me Marcos," he said with mock sweetness tightening his grip on the man's hair as he pulled out a modified handgun from the back waistband of his cargos. He slammed it down on the counter in front of the Marcos' eyes, "tell me 'bout the man who sold you two crates of these guns?" A fresh wave of fear rolled over him and he inhaled deeply again.

River's eyes widened and she reverently picked up the empty weapon, "The GT-silencer, affectionately called the hellhound, fingerprint encrypted, serves only one master, will self destruct in the enemy's hand, Alliance special issue, fires armor piercers without a whisper."

Riddick let out a growl, he hadn't even heard the girl approach, and it pissed him off. This close he could really smell her, and he inhaled deeply, he could get drunk off of it he decided and toyed with the idea of trying, after the job was done of 'course.

"Didn't use a name, showed up at the shop one night, lanky fellow, I swear I don't know anything!"

Riddick quirked an eyebrow at the girl standing next to him.

"What motivation does the girl have to help the Riddick?" She asked nonchalantly as she sighted the weapon, "She promised to neither hinder nor aid."

"Could let you walk out of here alive." Riddick growled not used to being denied.

River snorted, "She would like to see him try to dance with the girl."

Riddick barked out a laugh, a sound that frightened Marcos more than the growls. The man was unhinged and the girl was six ways to _feng le _(insane), and he was beginning to feel woozy from the pain and loss of blood, hopefully soon he would be blissfully unconscious.

River decided she liked the laugh and that was payment enough. "He lies." She switched over into an accent remarkably like Marcos', "Man with the guns made 'im a shitload of coin, ain't interested in burnin' that bridge, don't matter what you shiv, money'll buy it back."

Riddick smiled, it was dark and full of violence, River decided she liked that too. "Is that so?"

"Ain't no way she could know that. _Feng le_ girl could be makin' it all up!" Marcos sobbed.

"Girl is not crazy." River shot Marcos a dark look, tilting her head to the side, her eyes glazed over, and once again perfecting Marco's accent she spoke, "Man likes his creds, likes his coins, buys 'im 'lil sweet things, buys 'im the drugs to make 'em do as he wants, ain't nothing but 'lil sweet dollies to 'im, likes to make the sweet things hurt, likes to see 'em in pain." River shuddered as she shook himself free.

Riddick stared at her in awe.

"Ruttin lying bitch! _Biao zi_ (_whore_)!" Marcos screeched.

Riddick sensed the girl's sudden flash of anger, and in response he snapped one of Marcos' fingers. "Watch your fuckin' mouth." He growled.

River found herself unexplainably pleased by the Riddick's violent reaction to the attack on her purity and chose to reward him, "The man you seek is called Balder, Leon Balder, stole the crates from your employer, greedy grubby hands tired of taking orders, too bad he is not as wise as his master. Arrogance tells him he is, thinks the boss will never suspect, not from him, he's been a good dog all theses years, never left town, hiding his head in the sand in the Easttown Projects, apartment number D6."

Marcos' sobbed, he was fucked.

Riddick smirked, his gaze drifting to the sobbing man, "Lied to me."

River knew what was coming and had no desire to witness it, she had planned on paying for her weapons but since it now seemed as if the man would no longer have a use for credits she walked away to collect her duffel, and fighting the urge to stay and learn more of the Riddick, she turned to exit the shop. Objective one had been completed, employment was imperative to survival, and she was down to three hours, forty-seven minutes, and nineteen seconds until Zoe's estimated time of awakening and her absence made known.

"Where you goin' girl?" his voice was laced with amusement at the fact she had actually thought he was just going to let her walk away, no, the beast was far from satisfied.

"The girl does not wish to watch you disembowel the liar, she is behind schedule, employment and/or transport must be obtained before her time expires and it has been discovered the bird has left the nest."

"Got a ship," Riddick remarked causally as he yanked one of the shivs out of Marcos' hands, distracted momentarily but the fresh flow of blood.

River cocked her head to the side and reached into the Riddick's mind, it was so different, two voices spoke as one, symbiotic, one voice, a man's, gravelly rough, forever laced with amusement as if the world was his to play with. The other, animalistic, it was raw power, flashes of emotion and color it could not see twisting together. There was anticipation for the kill the beast was expecting, the blood tickled it's hunger, left it wanting more, there was amusement and curiosity swirling around the girl, she internally blushed as she deciphered his last thought, years of perfecting the blank stare keeping her from revealing herself. There was no anger or hostility towards her, neither the beast nor the man had any desire to cause her harm, in fact it was quite the opposite.

"The girl will be waiting outside." She answered, and calling over her shoulder as she opened the door, "The Riddick would be wise to blind the watchers."

Riddick watched the girl walk away, she'd covered it well, but he'd heard the change in her heartbeat, the quickening of blood through her veins, he usually didn't play well with others but he had a feeling he just might enjoy playin' with that one. "Lucky day Marcos, was gonna make it long and drawn out," He took the shiv he had pulled from Marcos' hands, and yanked back on the man's head, pressing the steel, warmed by blood against his jugular and leaned in close, savoring the moment, "Got a pretty little thing waitin' on me." A thin ribbon of blood bloomed from the man's throat, "would have killed ya if you told me the truth straight off, ain't personal, just business." Riddick informed the dying man as he yanked his other shiv free, and collected the shot gun he had tossed aside before. He hoped over the counter and blew the main recorder device to bits.

River found the tinkling of the bell absurdly ridiculous as the Riddick exited the store. "The Riddick still has a job to complete, the girl will wait there," she pointed to a bar down the street.

Riddick grunted, he didn't really have any desire to leave the girl at all, but he had a job to finish, and payment to collect.

"The girl will assume the noise was an affirmative, she must be off world before her advantage expires, the Riddick has three hours, forty-four minutes, and eleven seconds."

"Ain't need but one," he said, smirking as he turned on his heel and took off at a run.

River snorted at his back, then turned to find out what kind of whiskey the moon had to offer, yet another affinity of Jayne's she had picked up.

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River had chosen a booth tucked away in the back corner with a good view of the entrance, a three finger glass of whiskey sitting before her. She sipped it slowly savoring every drop of the dark amber liquid, she liked the way it burned, the warm sensation when it settled in her stomach. The Riddick had five minutes and twenty three seconds before his hour was up, and well she waited she contemplated the wisdom of her decision to secure passage with him.

The Riddick knew how to find work, which meant coin and survival, he knew how to kill and he did it well, she would not be the protector any longer, but an equal in combat, he was a partner who could keep up with the steps of the dance. More than anything though, the reason she had accepted was the Riddick did not fear her, not even after he'd realized she could read his mind. He'd accepted it and not diverted from his plan nor tried to conceal his intentions. He saw power where the others had seen insanity.

The Riddick now had three minutes and twelve seconds, she took another sip from her glass, and rolled her eyes as she felt the approach and intention of a highly intoxicated male. The man arrogantly slid into the booth next to her. She crinkled her nose at the odor which accompanied him.

"Hey there pretty lady, whatcha doin' in a place like this?"

River leveled her gaze on the man, "The girl has no desire to mate with a less than desirable specimen, please and thank you be on your way."

The man, whose name she learned from his mind was Matthew, "Ain't no need to be rude, just saw you sittin' all alone like, ain't seen you in here 'fore thought I could buy you another one of those." He tilted his glass clinking the edge with River's nearly empty one.

"The girl has credits of her own, she is thankful for the man's generosity but as she asked please and thank you go away." She glared at him.

"Aw come on baby, we could have a real good time tonight." He ran his fingers along River's arm.

Her glare shifted from the man's face to her arm, infuriated he had the audacity to touch her, "The man has five seconds to remove his fingers from the girl's skin."

Matthew laughed, "Girl you sure are some kind of crazy ain't ya?" His fingers gripped her arm now.

"The girl will not warn you again." Her voice was ice.

"Or what?" He shot back.

"Or I'll break your fucking fingers off one by one." A voice growled from behind them as Riddick's fingers curled around the back of the man's neck, yanking him up and out of the booth, "Don't like what people touch what's mine. _Dong ma_ (understand me)?

"Yeah boss I gets ya," the man stammered out and Riddick released his grip.

"Best be on your way." Riddick continued to growl, while River was positively glowing.

Matthew scrambled to his feet and back to the bar to nurse his wounds with another round.

Riddick slid into the booth next to River, "The Riddick said one hour, he is late by one minute and fifty five seconds." He barked out a laugh. "And also, the Riddick still has blood on his jaw." River did not realize she had committed to her next action until it was too late to turn away, as she wiped the blood off with her thumb.

Riddick audibly purred, echoing the beast's pleasure at the contact, he caught her hand before she could fully withdraw it and holding her gaze he licked the blood from her thumb. "Got a name besides girl?" His voice was gravelly, tinged with amusement as he listened to the rapid increase in her heartbeat, and smelt the subtle change in her scent.

"River," she managed to form a whisper, finding it difficult to form a coherent thought through the sudden and complex shift of her emotions.

"River," Riddick tasted her name on his tongue as he held her gaze and shifting the hold on her wrist he pulled her up from the booth, "ready to kick on?"

River nodded and shouldering her duffle allowed the Riddick to lead her out of the bar, conscious the entire time that he never released her wrist, but of not much else and so she missed the twinkle of greed in the mind of a blue eyed man who watched them exit the bar.

The blue eyed man finished off his drink and tossed a few cred chips onto the bar.

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_**Endnote: Sooooooo, too much? Too far? Does it stay a one shot or do you want more? If you wanna read it, I'll write it.**_


	2. Chapter 2

A/N:

**Solaira- mwahahahahahahahahahahah!!!! You guessed right. The blue eyed man is none other than Johns, the man we all love to hate. The Beast in the Ballerina centers more around the firefly verse, this story is going to be a bit darker, so while you might recognize a few planets and moons from Firefly, you'll see a lot more characters from Pitch Black and maybe even Dark Fury. **

**Sabrina1204- YAY! Congrats on the job! Must tell you I wait for your reviews almost obsessively after each new update and can't tell you how stoked I am you like this one too. I love A Firefly In Pitch Black, by shadowglove, it was the story that got River and Riddick stuck in my head to begin with. This will be a semi -PB run along, but with some major twists. This was a total spur of the moment story, have the first few chapters going in my head but the rest…. Well we'll be finding out together lol.**

**Celticicegoddess: lol momma, feel your pain, why I decided to try fanfic for a bit, my own imaginary friends and I aren't on speaking terms at the moment.**

**carcrafter7: lol and ty, promise I'm going right to work on the next update for The Beast and The Ballerina as soon as this one is published.**

**Without further ado--- don't own a thing, just an obsessed fan with delusions of grandeur.**

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River eyed the ship critically, once she boarded there was no turning back, in one hour, nine minutes, and thirty seven seconds her advantage would expire, and she doubted her ability to find another transport before Serenity woke and discovered its absent bird. She didn't doubt the crew would try to take her back by force, for her own good they would say, she wasn't stable enough to make her own decisions, Simon would use the words that made her sleep and needles dripping with poison, and she would never taste freedom again, the crew would see to that.

Riddick grunted in displeasure at her hesitation, "Something wrong with my ship girl?"

"Shikra Class, named for Earth-That-Was bird of prey, _Accipiter badius,_ known for its graceful flight and fast maneuvering ability, preferred method of hunting, the surprise attack, the Shirka waits silently in the treetops, waits for its prey to feel safe and secure, swoops from the treetops and leaves not a trace behind, last known specimen died in captivity fifty three years ago. It is an acceptable transport, and appropriate for the Riddick."

Riddick smirked, "Some kind of genius too?" Undisturbed by her ramblings, girl was valuable.

"The girl is many things." She answered cryptically, "Though her value is relative to perspective."

Riddick eyed her appreciatively enjoying the blush that bloomed in her pale cheeks, listening to the rapid beating of her heart, "Looks pretty gorram good from where I'm standing."

River closed her eyes briefly to steady herself, though the Riddick's attentions where thus far pleasant, her experience was severely limited to the crew of Serenity's overflow of emotion, and she needed time to analyze and evaluate, "The girl wishes to make it clear before she boards that she has no current intentions of pursing a physical relationship with the Riddick, this is the line and the girl will not tolerate it begin crossed."

Riddick chuckled, it was a dark and gravelly sound which sent shivers down her spine and he stepped in close, leaning his head down to whisper into her ear, his hand catching a loose strand of hair and he lifted it to his nose, inhaling deeply, "Can smell it on you girl, pure, untouched," He took another inhale, this time close to her neck, behind her ear where her pulse raced, "Maybe a lotta things, rapist ain't one of them, Big Bad will play nice for now, but I promise you, you'll see things my way." He finished with another deep chuckle, "Intentions change baby girl."

River exhaled the breath she had been holding as the Riddick pulled away, forcing her legs to work as she followed him onboard the ship. It was much smaller than the Firefly Class Serenity, but it was a transport and not a smuggling ship. The hold had been converted into a make shift gym, a bench and a set of weights pushed into one corner, a pull up bar, floor mats and a punching bag, it was roughly one quarter the size of Serenity's hold, but River didn't bother with the actual calculation, it seemed an unnecessary waste of effort.

A cramped hallway lead from the hold and into a mess/common room, a small open kitchen with a booth table tucked into its corner was to the left and to the right a large cortex screen was bolted onto the wall, and a beat up couch bolted to the floor in front of it. Another short hall lead out of the room, one bunk to the left and one to the right.

"Take the bunk on the right," Riddick grunted from in front of her, jerking his head, "Gonna get us in the air."

"Destination?" River asked cocking an eyebrow, though she supposed it didn't much matter.

"Does it matter?" River's eyebrow raised an extra degree, as the Riddick plucked the thought from her mind, coincidence of course, the Riddick was not a reader, but she found it odd none the less.

"No, the destination is irrelevant," she admitted, "Employment is however vital to survival and if the Riddick cannot supply it than the girl must seek it elsewhere."

Riddick growled low at the idea of the girl leaving, the beast was not pleased at all, it did not understand why, but it wanted her, she belonged to it already, the girl just did not know this as of yet. "Might be I have a few contacts, ain't ever worked with a partner before, but a reader, think we could make us coin for a spell, if you got the stomach for my line of work." He smirked.

Unlike the crew of Serenity the Riddick was not a smuggler, he was an assassin for hire, and a thief if it paid well enough, River tilted her head and reached into his mind, she found it easier this time, as if the Riddick knew what she was doing and was allowing her, rather than trying to block her as most others did. The Riddick was in a league well beyond Serenity's reach, he earned on one job what Serenity would need two or three to match, and with him it would be split two ways instead of seven. Yes, the Riddick could supply constant and profitable employment, despite the price on his head, which she was amused to learn was half of her own.

"The girl is not offended by theft or murder, they took from her without asking, they killed the girl and made her something else, she will take what she pleases, and terminate if the coin is adequate or if it becomes a necessity. The girl can pilot as well, plot navigation, the bird flies the shortest distance between two points, she can hack security systems, though often it is not required, machines whisper just as human voices, you will find the girl to be invaluable, and you will not leave her."

Riddick continued to smirk, he had no intention of leaving the girl that was for gorram sure, but something else she had said had sparked his interest, _**they**_ took from her without asking, _**they**_ killed the girl, he was a mite curious as to who _**they**_ were.

"Once in the safety of the sea of whispering diamonds, the girl and the Riddick will palaver, she will reveal what she deems to be necessary to a successful partnership and nothing more."

"Partners," much like he had River's name he tasted the word on his tongue, a foreign concept to him, which he had to admit didn't seem all that bad, never had somebody to watch his back, might be nice.

"The Riddick will see, the girl is a valuable ally," her smile disappeared quickly however, a hard line replacing it, "she warns the Riddick," she tapped a finger against her forehead, "she does not take betrayal lightly, retribution will be swift."

Riddick threw his head back and laughed, turning to the cockpit, oh yeah, girl was gonna be all kinds of fun.

River watched him turn his back on her, he was unafraid, her smile returned as she opened her bunk door and once inside she hacked into the computer's main system and overrode Riddick's control of her bunk door but left all other systems otherwise untouched, and then once completed she took stock of her space. The bunk was much larger than the passenger dorm she had occupied on Serenity, and there was a private bathroom, though it didn't overly matter much to her, the only belongings she had taken with her off of the ship was her box of art supplies and a few sketch books. There was nothing else she had wanted from her old life. She placed them inside her locker and hung up her few articles of clothing; but she kept her weapons on her. She wasn't afraid of the Riddick, though she had not seen enough to adequately calculate her odds of winning a fight with him, she kept her weapons on as a symbol of her new freedom, aboard Serenity it would have never been allowed.

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Johns smirked as he watched Riddick board his ship with River M. Tam, wondering if he really knew who it was he was bringing on board his ship and for that matter how much the girl was worth. He'd been pretty pissed when his partner had jumped the gun earlier that night, shoulda known better than to pick up a greenie; he just didn't wanna have to split the bounty even. Shoulda known you get what you pay for. He cut out as soon as the ruttin' idiot had made his move, he'd already had a piece of a shiv jammed into his spinal cord, wasn't lookin' for another. Surprise was the only way to get Riddick, and when the greenie jumped the gun that was lost, so Johns had gotten out before he gotten dead.

Thought his luck had changed when he watched the girl walk into the bar, knew her the instant he saw her. The public bounty had been taken down a little over three years ago, backers went private, her face and name had been flashing across the merc's list ever since. He just had had a score to settle with Riddick first, but seeing as she had walked very neatly into his lap, his night had brightened considerably. The bounty didn't list what she was wanted for, or much about the girl, physical description, name, known associates and planet affiliations, but that was about it, whatever she was wanted for they wanted her bad, but quiet, quiet and alive, the bounty dropped to ten percent of the original reward if she was brought in dead.

Normally he would have been bothered by such little information, meant something bad, especially with that big of a reward, but she didn't look like more than a little slip of a thing, yeah she had guns, but he doubted she could use them, looked like a soft little thing pretending to be hard. He figured she was a hacker of some kind, mayhap learned something she wasn't supposed to, wanted her alive to undo whatever she did, or find out who she told and how much 'fore killin' her themselves.

If seein' River Tam walk into the bar had made his night, watching Riddick walk in and slid into the booth next to her had practically made him piss himself with glee, visions of cred chips raining down from the sky. He stepped out from behind the crate he'd been hiding behind downwind, he knew better than to stand upwind around Riddick, man was more animal than anything else, that was how he'd gotten the shiv in the back, never make that mistake again. Raising a tracking gun as the ship lifted off he fired a tracer to the side of it, landing it on the outside wall of the cargo hold. Johns pulled his handheld out of his cargo pocket, a wicked smile twisting around the corners of his lips as a blinking green dot appeared on his screen. He took off running, he'd lose the signal on the handheld soon, and he had to get it plugged into his ship and back in the black 'fore too much distance got between them.

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Riddick went through the ignition and launch sequence with a rare sense of giddy excitement, though he would not have described it as such, he was Richard B. Riddick, giddy was not a word he would have allowed to be used to describe himself, but never the less he was. He was anxious to see what River-girl was actually capable of and whether or not she was all talk, most female mercs were, but then again, girl didn't look like any merc he'd ever seen and he'd seen plenty. If she wasn't a merc, she had to be a criminal, and since she hadn't had any weapons besides a hand shaped shiv 'fore she entered the gun shop he figured she'd just escaped from somewhere. Needed to find out who was chasin' 'em, not that one more _hun dan_ (bastard) merc really mattered, he could just get in fucking line.

He noticed River's approach not by her footsteps, which were as silent as his on the metal grating but by her scent, something that was very quickly being burned into his mine, he had no doubt after a week in the black with the girl he'd be able to track her through a city, he toyed with the idea of trying.

"The Riddick may try, but the girl will always feel him coming," she tapped her forehead with her index finger again, as she sat down next to him in the co pilot's chair, her mind quickly analyzing the controls, breaking down the functions of each button and lever, learning to fly it without so much as touching the panels.

Riddick smirked, vaguely aware it didn't bother him the girl was inside his head, made things easier, and would come in handy in a tight spot.

River smiled unconsciously, enjoying the feeling of acceptance.

"May as well tell me why you're runnin', so's I know what's chasin' us." He rumbled, and turning his chair to face her, he leaned back kicking his legs up on the console; his goggles however remained in place.

River tilted her head studying him again before she chose her words, "The bird is fleeing its cage, same as the Riddick, her wings had been clipped, but she fashioned new ones from the scraps they left behind, thought they saved her and they did, took her from a metal cage with poisoned needles and dirty blue hands, but one cage is the same as the other, gilded or not, poisoned needles and bitter pills are still poisoned needles and bitter pills though the intention shifts. Did not see they girl, saw the weapon, convinced themselves the cage was the safest place for the girl, though in truth their thoughts betrayed them, it was their safety they were concerned for. Did not matter the bird was loyal, did not know she would have always returned home to roost if they'd left the cage door open, never tried."

Riddick nodded, easily understanding the riddles and metaphors she spoke in, and he kinda liked it, it suited her, made her voice soft and rolling, soothing almost.

"She runs from those who wish to keep her in the gilded cage and those who wish to return her to the metal one, one wants the girl to be the weapon, the other wishes the weapon to be a girl, neither sees both, neither wants both, the girl is both, dual natured, and one cannot exist without the other. The Riddick understands this, the balance, the duality, separate and yet one and one makes one."

Again Riddick nodded, he wasn't one for words, another reason he appreciated the girl could read his thoughts. Duality, that was something he could understand, the man and the beast both existed within him, always warring for control, one and one makes one, yeah he got that. "Blue hands, those are Alliance operates, run across a few in my time, always work in pairs, cocky _hun dans_ (bastards)."

River nodded sagely, "Two-by-two, the hands of blue."

"Alliance made you want you are," He finished for her.

River shook her head, "The girl was always a reader, knew things, things she couldn't possibly know, made the originators nervous, the elder offspring was acceptably advanced, something they could be proud of, the younger, could not be made to preen and prance, wanted a peacock, got a bird of prey. The Academy came with an offer, the originators were pleased to accept, keep the strange girl hidden away, she never smiled as she should. The Academy began as a gilded cage, keep the girl distracted while they probed and tested, she was acceptable, and so the gilded walls were betrayed and steel erected in their place, she was more than acceptable, she was future of intelligence operations. She was good, but they could make her better, cut away at her brain to make her stronger, used needles and electricity to train and shape, molded her into their weapon, but she learned their secrets, didn't expect the weapon to turn on them, thought they had control," Her eyes took on a new quality as she spoke, they were harder, determined, resolute, "no one controls the girl."

Riddick's beast snarled behind the bars of its cage, the idea of someone hurting what was his, sent him into a fury. They had tried to break her, and she had shown them she could not be broken, his smirk returned. "Kinda like a wild thing myself."

River returned the smirk with one of her own, "The Riddick wishes to test the current of the River, the girl will not object."

Riddick chuckled, "Good," he said setting the autopilot. "Got a contact in mind, but you know that already, let's see 'iffin you're up to it."

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The trained assassins stood five feet apart on the sparring mat in the hold. River released her hair from its bindings, and heard its sigh of relief as it fluttered down her back, indulgently, she shook it free.

Riddick was momentarily distracted by the fresh wave of her scent, but quickly refocused himself, couldn't fight proper if his mind was in two very different directions.

River smirked and without warning delivered a spinning back kick to the Riddick's jaw. He stumbled backwards, laughing when he tasted the coopery fluid in his mouth, been a long time since anyway had made him bleed. His beast snarled, but not in anger or aggression, no, those emotions were not for his girl, this was playtime. He launched himself at her, his fists and legs flying out in a flurry of punches and kicks, low and high, she blocked everyone, reading the movements he was making from his mind a fraction of a second before he made them, he was testing her and she knew it, searching for weakness, only she knew he would find none. The Riddick might have been skilled in the art of pain, but the girl had already been broken by pain and she did not fear it, she embraced it, pain made you strong, pain let you know you were still alive.

Riddick released the beast inside of him, knowing it would not hurt his girl, but knowing also she was reading his moves, the beast didn't think before it acted, the beast was all instinct and action. He caught her jaw, softening the blow slightly as to not break it, but there would be a good bruise.

River moved with the force of the blow, allowing it to lead her down, she spun swinging out a low kick and knocking the Riddick to the ground. She cart wheeled away, landing and withdrawing her curved shivs from the back of her waist band, the Riddick was back on his feet as well, having released his claws in the same moment she had. It struck her for a fraction of a second that they had chosen nearly identical blades, his were longer and wider though, they suited his size as hers did her own.

Again they dove for each other, this time in a flurry of flashing steel to the melody of metal striking metal, it echoed through the hold providing a song to their dance. She admired his skill, but saw her hole and went for it, she was smaller, faster, able to step inside his reach and back out before he could touch her, and she used her advantage now.

Riddick chuckled as he felt the cold steel of the girl's shiv against his throat, and the lethal point of the other pressing against the soft tissue of his stomach.

River relaxed her guard assuming she had won, but assumption was the mother of all fuck ups.

Riddick planted his boot against the girl's stomach, spinning back and away he barked, "Lights out!"

For a brief second River was taken by the absolute beauty of the Riddick's silver blue gaze, but then he attacked, and there was no time for admiration only evasion and defense. She was at the disadvantage now, though her eyesight had been surgically enhanced during her time at the Academy, her night vision was nowhere near as developed as the Riddick's, and he moved more freely in the darkness then he did in the light, a true predator.

River closed her eyes, denying her mind the visual stimulation allowed her to focus, and she tried instead to locate him with her mind. A swirling mass of raw emotion assailed her from every direction, the beast was running wild. It was impossible to get a clear read on his movements, they were made the instant they were thought, no communication between mind and muscle, she was fascinated to find she could not counter, only defend.

The Riddick's hand shot out from the darkness, grabbing hold of her wrist he wrench it hard, the clatter of a dropped shiv echoed through the hold. Out of reflex River tried to pull his weight against him, but he was prepared and used to fighting those smaller, easily he turned the defensive move against her and grabbed hold of her free arm, twisting again, and no sooner than the first echo had ended did another rise in the hold to follow. The Riddick was behind her now, both of her wrists locked in his grip, her arms twisted up painfully behind her, and he planted his boot into her back, kicking her against the wall.

River had barely the time to turn before he was on her, shiv pressed against her throat, his free hand wrapped beneath it, pinning her in place. "First mistake baby girl, and I gotta say, your only 'cause you're good," he purred into her ear, the whisper of his breath moving though her body, "rely too much on knowin' what your enemy is thinkin', leaves no room for instinct, you come against somethin' you can't read and you're fucked, take it animals are a bit harder." He smirked, his lips barely grazing her ear.

"The Riddick's mistake," River giggled, and faster than Riddick could track, he felt the cold metal of her guns pressed to either side of his head, "He left the girl's hands free. Bullets in the brain pan. Bang, bang squish!" She giggled, she had not had so much fun in years.

Riddick smiled, "Seems were at an impasse baby girl," he leaned in towards her lips and hovered, "If we was playing for keeps, I'd listened to the whispers the minute your face planted into the wall."

"The whispers tell him, go for the sweet spot." She barely breathed, brown eyes locked with his mercurial.

"Just to the left of the spine, fourth lumbar down." He whispered, grazing her lips with his own.

"The abdominal aorta," River added for him, purring, "What a gusher."

"Metallic taste to it, human blood. Coppery." He smirked, the taste of his own still on his tongue, a tongue which darted out, daring her lips to allow him in.

"Cut it with peppermint schnapps, than it goes away." She managed to whisper as his teeth grazed her bottom lip, trying to coax it open where his tongue had failed.

"Course, that's more for winter. Summertime, I take mine straight." He finished, moving his assault up her jaw line and to her ear, he inhaled deeply, "Could can drunk on this." He purred nipping at her lobe.

River's body was on fire, and she pressed herself closer to the cold metal wall, the contrast of sensation it produced was jolting and allowed her a semblance of logical thought. She felt the pull of a cord from behind her, where her head rested against the metal, something was not right, something was whispering secrets, something was whispering their secrets. Her eyes glazed over slightly.

Riddick felt the immediate change in the girl, and growled irritably. He wanted to mark her and claim her, he wanted her full attention, something he obviously didn't have, and it pissed him the fuck off.

"We are being watched," she whispered.

Riddick's shift was immediate, and he pulled back his shiv as River lowered her weapons.

River turned to face the wall, her fingers sliding over it, finding the source through the metal, the tiny whisper of electrical current she had come to know so well at the Academy.

"Tracking device?" Riddick growled.

"The predators have become the prey, he stalks us through the sea of diamonds."

"Goin' EVA, get your ass in the cockpit." He growled out.

River nodded, and fled the hold leaving the Riddick snarling behind her and the beast wholly unsatisfied.

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River had been wrong, while Zoe had awoken at her estimated time, she nor any other of the crew had had reason to pass the shuttle hatch or rouse her from her dorm. When River did not show for breakfast, they had all assumed she was hiding out somewhere and knew by now there was no point in tryin' to find her 'iffin she was holed up somewhere, best just to let her be. The girl had been getting tetchy over the smallest things, taken issue to some of her rules, and the Doc was beginning to wonder if he needed to up her dosages again.

It wasn't for another four and a half hours when Mal had started bitchin' for his gorram pilot, that Zoe went looking for her, hoping to warn her ahead of time that Inara and the captain had been fightin' all morning and he was all sorts of bent. Zoe knocked on the girl's door and getting no answer tried knocking harder and callin' her name out. When there was still no answer, she punched in the override code to the door lock.

The bunk was completely dark, gorram girl was still sleepin, she wondered briefly 'iffin mayhap the Doc was over doin' it on the meds a mite bit. "Lights," she called quietly, slightly leery of startling the girl awake. Zoe blinked a few times. The room was ruttin' empty, save for a single piece of sketch paper folded neatly in half in the center of her bunk. Curious, Zoe picked up the paper and read the five sentences it contained. "_Gou shi_ (shit)." She swore.

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'_**Til after now. **_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N:**_

**Celticicegoddess: Thanks for your support chickadee! You're a brave one trying CoR I don't think I wanna touch that one with a ten foot pole lol. Though I imagine you could try River and Jack/Kyra starting out together in Crematoria, say the Alliance has already caught up with River and dropped her in a hole to forget about her, she takes Jack under her wing when she gets in there, makes sure nobody messes with her and then, enter Riddick, but good luck anyway you go, I'm looking forward to reading it : )**

**Sabrina1204- Oh yes Johns….hehehehehehe, I rewatched PB last night and was struck with a sudden burst of inspiration, I have a super fabulous twist coming for how our delightfully deadly duo wind up on the HG, which I think your gonna love, but you'll have to wait it out for another chapter or so.**

**To everyone else reading and putting me on your various Alerts, love you guys too! I was so nervous about putting my words out there into the 'verse, can't tell ya'll enough how much it means your reading.**

**Before I ramble on forever about how wonderful my fans are…. As always not making a single cred, don't own a thing.**

**PS- I took some liberty with the whole five sentence note, I had not yet written the note when I published the last chapter (believe me, it's a mistake I'll never make again lol), so you have some rather long run on sentences… comma, comma, comma-chameleon (lol)---geek I know.**

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_THEY leave us so to the way we took, As two in whom they were proved mistaken, That we sit sometimes in the wayside nook, With mischievous, vagrant, seraphic look, And try if we cannot feel forsaken._

_You fear what you do not understand and the girl is weary of trying to be understood, she will never earn your acceptance and she now no longer wishes it._

_The shuttle is five miles south of New Camden located on Feros._

_Ge-ge, thank you, you are now free as well, do not be a boob._

_Captain, try hard not to get shot, it makes Inara afraid which makes her angry, and then you will argue, Inara do not get angry at the captain if he gets shot, he simply cannot help it when left to his own devices, Zoe the girl is sorry her Wash was killed, despite what you believe the girl could not have seen, Jayne be nice to Simon, he will patch you up when the captain gets you shot, and your hat is very cunning the girl has always envied it, Kaylee please take care of Simon, he is yours now, and forgive him when he is a boob, it cannot be helped, it is his nature._

_-River_

"It's a poem by Robert Frost," Simon spoke breaking the silence that had followed River's letter. "In Neglect," it was the only thing about the note which his mind had yet been able to process.

"She stable Doc?" Mal asked through gritted teeth, feeling betrayed by the girl's desertion after all they'd done for her, and angered by her insinuation he was a poor criminal.

"Does it sound like it? Simon asked bitterly, "The poem uses the words we, she refers to herself as the girl still, and she's stolen a shuttle and runaway to one of the most crime ridden moons in the 'verse."

"Sounds sane to me, said my hat was cunnin'." Jayne said through a mouth full of food, "and ya do get shot at a bunch Mal and get us shot at, and we all know the Doc is a boob."

"Jayne…" Mal warned.

"What?"

"Ain't the time."

"We gotta go after her sir, ain't safe for the girl to be on her own, bounty on her head is twice what it was before Miranda," Zoe said, guilt hardening her resolve, she knew River couldn't have stopped what happened, but a body can't always help their thoughts.

"Sides' Cap, what 'iffin another one of those messages goes out like on Beaumonde? She's liable to get herself kilt," Kaylee said in between tears, moved by River's plea.

Jayne snorted, "More likely to be doin' the killin' Kaylee girl."

"Jayne." Zoe snapped.

"What? All's I'm sayin is girl ain't no helpless thing ya'll like to think she is 'til you need her to shoot something. So Crazy wanted a taste of the big bad 'verse, nuthin' we can do 'bout it now, ain't like we're liable to find her 'iffin she don't want to be found, hell we can't even find her on the ship when she goes hidin'."

"It must have been the meds, I knew I should have adjusted the dosages, she had seemed a little off the last couple of days hadn't she? This is my fault." Simon said, dropping his head into his hands.

"Turnin' this boat 'round," Mal said standing up, "pick up the shuttle, and ask around, ain't a little thing like her goes around New Camden unnoticed."

"Ain't gonna find her Mal." Jayne shook his head, standing up to clear his plate.

"That's why I got me a tracker Jayne," Mal said pointedly.

"Oh ruttin' hell, you gotten be shittin' me Mal." Jayne complained, "Ain't no way in the 'verse I can find a reader wantin' to be hid, gorram girl will feel me comin' 'fore I get close." A feeling in his gut telling him nothin' good was gonna come of any of it.

"Way I see it I'm payin' ya, and so long as I'm payin', you'll do whatever in the gorram hell I tell you to do." Mal barked back. "We can be back on Feros in less than a day, 'Tross couldn't have gotten far by then, ain't many gonna hire on a ninety pound gun hand, and I know what I been payin' her and she ain't got much."

"Ain't nothin' to brag on Mal," Jayne muttered.

"Watch it Jayne." Mal shot him a look, "We get back to Feros and we find River, 'fore she gets hurt or hurts somebody else."

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Despite the obvious implications of the tracer beacon River was irrationally grateful for its presence. It gave her a few moments alone to assess the situation. There was no logical or medical explanation for the feelings being near the Riddick invoked or for her desire to remain near him and her pleasure at his violent defense of her. She had watched the relationships on Serenity with a mixture of fascination, amusement, and condescension, and felt she neither had the patience nor the humiliation threshold to follow their examples. Zoe and Wash had been better, but in those days lucidity was rare and conscious assessment nonexistent. River decided the solution required further study and examination before she could allow the situation to escalate and filed it away into a less active part of her mind.

The tracer beacon could not be ignored the why was easy enough, they were fugitives with a combined bounty of nearly five million creds. The when, was unknown, though insignificant, it really didn't matter when, the tracer was attached to the ship, time travel was an impractical and unobtainable solution. The who was of greatest importance, someone had planted the tracer, said someone, it could be assumed, knew of her presence as well.

The crew of Serenity would not have yet been aware of her disappearance to place it and she would have felt the blue hands if they had been that close to her, despite the obvious distraction the Riddick imposed. Which left mercs, unacceptable. The Riddick must be protected, but the Riddick could protect himself, the beast would protect the Riddick, and that thought left River at a loss for what the Riddick could want from her if he did not require her protection? And though she had already assigned the problem of the Riddick and her attachment to him, to a lesser part of her mind, she found it circled back, and that in itself was another cause for concern. The Riddick was invading her thought processes, and the invasion was not relevant to his proximity.

Her focus needed to be on discovering the source of the tracer beacon, this was imperative to her survival, and survival had been hardwired as her highest priority, conditioned to supersede all things. River wondered if it meant that the Riddick had become imperative to her survival.

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Riddick fumed with barely controlled rage as he pulled on his EVA suit. A fucking tracking device on his gorram mother fucking ship, that greenie merc hadn't been alone after all, someone was pullin' his strings, no way could that fucking kid have found him on his own.

In his mind that left one very distinct possibility, William J. Johns, the blue eyed devil himself. Thought he'd caught a whiff of piss and morphine at the bar, dismissed it, sloppy. He'd been distracted when he'd seen the little prick with his paws on _**his**_ girl, took everything he had to not snap the fucker's neck, but it woulda made getting' off world a bit tetchy.

Girl was getting' under his skin, wasn't good, it was the gorram way she smelled, like blood and gunpowder, laced with sweetened sandalwood, fucking intoxicating. He'd almost had her too, he smirked, which turned into a growl as he slammed his helmet closed, almost. Fucking Johns, mayhap he'd removed that piece of shiv he'd left in the _gou shi's_ (shit's) spine. He'd probably hired the greenie so he wouldn't have to spilt the bounty fifty-fifty, probably fed him some bullshit about rep bein' more important than cashy money too.

Riddick paused before hitting the control to the airlock, the smirk returning to his face, and he turn back and began removing his EVA suit.

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"The Riddick wishes to dance with the girl, and she accepts, she will not demand payment for the service as it is in the girl's benefit as well that the Riddick remain free." River answered his thoughts as he walked back into the cockpit. "She will however be expecting a _paying _job after the conclusion of the rodent removal."

Riddick barked out a laugh, "Gotta a job waitin' for us on Juno, Johns will cost a bit of time but the contact will wait. 'Sides ain't just me Johns is after River Tam." He had done a little research on the girl while she was stowing her gear. He smirked. "You're in my chair," He nodded at the pilot seat she was currently occupying.

"The girl did not see a name on it." River shrieked as Riddick picked her up and unceremoniously dumped her into the co pilot's chair.

"Don't need it, I'm bigger than you."

River glared at him, "Height is not relative to flight skill."

"This boat it is," he smirked at her. "Got a pretty little price on your head girl."

"Is the Riddick jealous the girl is worth more?" She quirked an eyebrow.

He barked out another laugh, girl was all sorts of fun.

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Johns prepped a needle, and took his second cup of coffee for the day, leaning back into the pilot's chair, he let the needle fall from his hand, smirking all the while at the flashing green dot on his ship's scanners. Vaguely a small voice in his head told him he should call in back up, though through the haze of morphine it didn't register, being force to split five point six million creds did, why split when you could have it all? He figured he'd nab the girl first, if Riddick was travelling with her it meant she meant something to him, and 'iffin she meant something to him she was both bait and insurance. In the six years he'd been tracking Riddick he'd never known him to take on a partner once, well there were the ones he'd escaped the slam with, but he'd killed them later anyway. Didn't look like in the bar he'd be killin' the girl anytime soon, not by the way he'd nearly snapped that dumb kid's neck.

"You let a skirt get to you boy, must be going soft," he said out loud to the green dot, "Ain't be long now boy, been waitin' a long time for this."

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River lay awake in her bunk, the incessant whispering of the tracer beacon not the only reason for her lack of sleep. The Riddick was pacing the ship, he had been in the gym twice, the mess, the cockpit, and currently an old Earth-that-was movie was playing on the large screen in the lounge. His thoughts were as restless and varied as her own, peeking was rude when not necessary, but his thoughts were practically screaming. Rage at the defilement of his ship, expectation for the blood to come, curiosity, amusement and frustration circled around thoughts of the girl.

Curiosity and frustration she could understand, the amusement she was not at all pleased by, when the crew members of Serenity found her amusing it was laced with pity, she did not sense pity in the Riddick's amusement, she was still ill pleased all the same. The Riddick seemed to exist in a constant state of amusement, the world was a playground and the people in it toys. She did not appreciate being compared to a toy. Had she not proven her worthiness as an equal in combat? She had allowed too much, it had compromised her standing, she was an equal, not a plaything, the Riddick could not be allowed to view it any differently. There would be no more stolen kisses in the shadows, and with that resolved she slept while the Riddick paced on.

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River was awake before Riddick unsurprisingly the next morning and made her way up to the cockpit to check their course. She was more than happy to discover Riddick's ship though smaller was much newer than Serenity and the autopilot less prone to wandering fits of fancy. She did however discover an error in the Riddick's navigation calculations and made the appropriate course corrections saving them one hour, ten minutes, and thirty seven seconds, they would make landfall in less than three hours, and be rid of the rodent, free to seek lucrative employment. Aboard Serenity she had learned success was judged by the amount of creds weighing down your pocket, and she was eager to be successful in her new life.

Pleased with herself for finding the error, she sat herself comfortably in the pilot's chair and enjoyed the quiet calm of the sea of whispering diamonds and the Riddick's slumbering mind.

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Greenfall was at the edge of the Dandriera System, and one of the few inhabited planets which had not required terraforming for habitation, the world was entrenched in thick lush rainforests divided by vast volcanic mountain ranges, mined for the unique and lustrous gemstones hidden within. Though the native animal population discouraged widespread settlement, there were several thriving mining colonies near the more dormant ranges. Riddick had selected a landing point several miles outside the nearest settlement, they required concealment, but too much distance would arouse suspicion. River was duly impressed by his choice, it was precisely the location she would have chosen.

"The girl has calculated a ninety seven point two percent chance of successful completion, allowing for a two percent variation because she is unfamiliar with the terrain." She spoke from the co pilot's chair. She had drifted back asleep while waiting for the Riddick to wake, and had been rudely awaken herself as he had picked her up and dumped her once more into the co pilot's seat.

Riddick merely grunted.

River accepted it as a valid acknowledgement.

"Know your part girl?"

"The girl dances and the Riddick lies in wait, the rodent becomes pieces scattered across the earth and in death finds his use as fertilizer for a new generation of green and growing things."

Riddick laughed, "'Bout right. How much time we got?"

River's head tilted to the side, her eyes glazing over slightly as her mind danced along the thin metallic whisper of the tracer, following it to the blue eyed devil and after a minute or so of calculations and possibilities in her head, during which Riddick studied her face, fascinated by the tilt of her head, and the way her eyes lost focus but seemed to miss nothing around her though her mind was literally thousands of miles away.

"Forty seven minutes and twelve seconds before he will break atmo, twenty six minutes, four seconds, to locate a landing spot, one hour, three minutes, eleven seconds, to locate the girl and the Riddick. Allowing for calculation errors, the prey is unknown to the girl, she must average his running speed and assuming he pilots a smaller single manned shipped, two hours, sixteen minutes, and twenty seven seconds, assuming as well he will strike immediately."

"He will, minute he sees you walk off that ship, pretty little thing like you, says one thing to Johns, bait. He'll wait for you to wander off, probably tranq gun your ass, and tie you to a tree, sit back and wait for the Big Bad to come lookin'."

River blushed as Riddick's compliment, if that was indeed what it was and caught her reflection in a dark monitor, "They look at the girl and see pretty pretty feathers, delicate, graceful, but she never smiles as she should, they should take it for the warning it is, but they do not, they push and push and prod and poke, they are surprised when she pushes back, they are appalled when she pushes back."

"Ain't nuthin' wrong with pushin' back girl." Riddick said leaning back in his chair, "Better they think you can't push back."

River sighed, conceding to his point, "The element of surprise in an invaluable asset to the girl."

Riddick chuckled, "Surprise ain't the half of it girl, Johns is gonna piss himself."

She made a face, "The girl finds no humor is public urination."

Riddick laughed harder.

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Jayne slid onto a stool at the ninth gorram bar he'd been in since landing on Feros a few hours earlier. Usually nine bars would mean he was havin' a ruttin' good night, but pushing his way through the slums of New Camden huntin' down a _feng le_ (insane) reader who didn't want to be found was the farthest thing from a good time in Jayne's book, it was fucking annoying as hell.

"Whiskey," Jayne grunted when the bartender finally strolled over, thus far he'd refrained from drinkin', but he'd worked up a powerful thirst. "Ain't seen a little bit walk through her a night or two passed, scrawny girl, brown hair, brown eyes, lookin' like she ain't got any business in a place like this?" Jayne asked half heartedly, expecting the same answer he had gotten in the last eight places he'd been.

The bartender unexpectedly chuckled, and Jayne looked up, "Last night as matter of fact, only remember it cause one of our regulars is known for bein' a mite pushy with the gals, the girl's man 'bout put him through a wall when he came in and saw he was getting' touchy."

"Naw, can't be my girl," Jayne said lookin' back down at his whiskey, "she's on her own, mite _feng le_ if you catch my meaning, takin' her back to her kin."

The bartender scratched his chin, "Well boy said the girl kept callin' herself that, 'the girl'."

Jayne looked right back up, "Chance I might get a look at your vid feeds?"

"Depends." Jayne scowled and slammed a couple of creds on the bar, "Right this way friend." The bartender smiled.

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River looked up from her sketch pad in the mess where she had gone to wait out the arrival of the blue eyed devil and put some distance between her and the Riddick, determined to keep her business only resolution, though the only thing she'd seemed to be capable of sketching was the subject she was most trying to avoid. Gingerly she placed her pencils back in their case and closed her book. The blue eyed devil was watching, it was time to dance. It was with reluctance she removed her hip holster, it was not conducive to the image of innocence which was to be portrayed.

"The time has come." River answered Riddick's arrival in the mess without turning her head.

"Got somethin' for you girl," He grunted.

River turned instantly, "A present?" her face lit up.

Riddick smirked, "Yeah somethin' like that," he walked toward her and held out a modified holster, "Can't keep your shivs stashed in your back like that, wind up slicin' clear into your own skin."

River was touched by his concern, "The girl is grateful." She smiled as she slid her arms through the straps, which appeared to have been shorted to fit her, the rig clipped around her waist with straps that went over her shoulders and held two sheaths in place across her back. Her smile grew as she tested the accessibility of her blades and found it far superior to her former method.

Riddick was shrugging on a similar rigging, "Ready for this?" He tossed her a black cargo vest to conceal the holster.

River smirked donning the vest which was absurdly large on her small frame, but fulfilled its required function, "The Riddick should be prepared to take notes, the girl will teach him something new."

Riddick barked out a laugh. "Trust me girl, ain't takin' my eyes off of you."

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Johns kept his eyes on the bay doors of the ship, the same smirk he'd been wearing since Feros plastered across his face. Riddick had thought he could lay low out in the jungles, boy should know better than to mess with the big cats. He could taste that five million already.

He steadied himself as the doors creaked open, looks like the girl was sick of being cooped up on the ship with the animal, looked like she was walkin' off in a huff, Johns smirked, "_Lover's spat?"_ he chuckled to himself. Girl was storming off into the jungle, slowly, Johns raised himself from the crouch position he had been in, his scope trained on the girl as she entered the line of trees.

"Come on baby, just a few more steps," he whispered to himself, couple of feet Riddick would lose sight of her 'iffin he'd been watching.

River was humming as she tip toed across a large above ground root, pirouetting around the tree trunk and hoping up onto another branch, she danced across the underbrush, pulling the devil deeper into the jungle.

Johns saw his shot, "Fuck." He swore under his breath, as the girl spun away a second before his dart hit. He blinked a few times before returning to the scope, and again he found a shot, "Fuck!" He muttered as the girl bent to pick a blossom a breath before the dart hit, so close it had brushed her hair. How gorram lucky could one ruttin' girl be, he thought, loading another set of darts, he followed her deeper into the jungle.

As soon as Riddick had heard the girl humming, the signal Johns was following her, Riddick took off at a run.

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"_Wang ba dan_ (son of a bitch)," Jayne breathed, as he watched Richard B. Riddick, the top name on every merc's list, lead River out of the bar by her wrist. Gorram crazy had gone and made friends with the biggest ruttin' crazy of them all. "Mal," Jayne called over the comm. unit.

"You find anythin' Jayne?" He answered back.

"Ain't nuthin' good."

"We got bodies Jayne?" Mal asked nervously, honestly afraid of the answer and what the little 'Tross might of done off her meds.

"Not yet Cap', but sure as hell there's gonna be." Jayne warned, pocketing the security feed disc, "Headed back, seems like River-girl has gone and made herself a friend."

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"Gorram, _Qing wa kao de liu mang_ (frog humping son of a bitch)!" Johns swore in frustration as the girl leapt up onto a tree branch narrowly avoiding his sixth dart. He fumbled with the last pair of darts he had left, his hands beginning to shake, he used his last dose on the trip, he'd need to restock 'fore headin' off world.

River felt Johns' loss of focus, felt the jagged edges of his mind cry out for its next hit and gracefully she swung into the trees. The thick foliage allowing her to move from branch to branch, like the bird the Riddick's ship was named for she silently stalked the treetops.

Johns looked up having finally managed to load his darts and the girl was gone. "Son of a whore!" Johns swore kicking a tree, his head flying up at the sound of a giggle.

River dropped from the branches above Johns, "Surprise!" she giggled dropping down in front of the merc.

Johns was caught completely off guard and barely had time to register the girl's sudden appearance before she dropped him with a solid kick to the head. "You stupid little bitch," he swore spitting out a mouth full of blood and struggling to his feet.

River did not allow him the privilege of standing, and delivered another spinning kick to his jaw, "The devil wanted dance, did not expect the girl to be able to keep time with his steps." River picked up the tranq gun Johns had dropped, "Wanted the girl to slumber, wanted her prince to come and kiss her awake." River circled him, as he looked up at her from the ground.

Johns had thought she was just another girl, and he had been wrong, this he realized too late, assumption was the mother of all fuckups, girl was crazy than Riddick.

River spun around on him, his thoughts assailing her, "The girl is not crazy!" She snapped cracking Johns in the temple with the butt of the tranq gun and then frowned as she realized she had knocked him unconscious for the moment.

In the distance River heard a large explosion and her smile returned, the Riddick had completed his task. She leaned down and drug her shiv across Johns left cheek, a ribbon of crimson poured from the clean slice, "Tag you're it," she whispered to the unconscious man, her mind reached out and touched that of several large predators, their nostrils flaring at the smell of fresh blood in the jungle. River stood and tossed the tranq gun down giggling, and turned skipping away back towards her Riddick and their ship. "Catch us if you can," she called over her shoulder before disappearing into jungle.

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"The girl would like it to be known it is more efficient to kill the devil where he sits, your game is childish and imprudent, it leaves a twenty seven percent chance of escape."

"More fun this way, just a little game tag," Riddick smirked, "See is Billy-boy has lost his touch."

"The Riddick is a child." She exhaled sharply crossing her arms against her chest and leaning back into the co pilots chair as he guided the ship back up and into the atmosphere his laughter echoing in the cockpit.

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"You're telling me my sister has been kidnapped by one of the 'verse's most wanted?" Simon asked Jayne, he could hear his heart thudding in his ears.

"Now Doc, ain't said…"

Jayne was immediately cut off by Mal, "Kaylee can you hack into the docking yards records, I want the security feeds, wanna know what ship this _hun dans_(bastard) on and whether or not he's still in port."

"Now Mal, ain't looked to me like he was forcing her anywhere." Jayne argued.

"He was practically dragging her out of there Jayne!" Mal shot back.

"Mal, you gorram know ain't nobody makin' that girl do a gorram thing she ain't wantin' to do!" Jayne tried again.

"Don't know that Jayne," Zoe interrupted and he turned to look at her slack jawed, he thought 'iffin' anyone would see the truth 'sides him it would be Zoe, "man's some kinda animal they say, he could be thinkin' on any manner of things and makin' her afraid." Zoe finished, River's line to her echoing constantly in her thoughts.

"Aw hell Zoe! Are you ruttin' kidding me?" Jayne demanded.

"Said it yourself Jayne, he was the worst of the worst," Kaylee sniffled afraid for her mei-mei, "I can get in Cap, just might take some time."

"You get it done little Kaylee," Mal nodded at her.

Jayne dropped back into his seat and let his head thud against the table a few times. He might not have been the smartest man, and never claimed to be, he was what he was, no shame, no apologies, but ruttin' hell even he could read between the lines on this one.

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Johns opened his eyes to the sound of snarling nearby, two large jungle cats, similar in appearance to the sabertooths of Earth-that-was were facing off, and he could only assume he was the prize. He felt the sticky blood crusted to his face caked with dirt and would have thrown up if he wasn't terrified off drawing attention to himself. He caught a gilt of metal from the corner of his eyes and his heart leapt at the sight of his tranq gun, two shots left. Enough to knock the fuckers out or only piss 'em off more he couldn't be sure, but it was a sight better than just waiting to be eaten.

Johns remained still, waiting for the confrontation to play out, two darts against one beast was better odds than two verse two. He didn't have long to wait as the larger one took a chuck of flesh from the others flank, and the wounded tiger skulked off to nurse his wounds and fight another day.

The victor turned, jaws salivating at thoughts of its prize. John rolled raising the tranq gun and firing twice, hitting his target in the meaty fat of its neck, darts landing side by side. The tiger roared in rage, Johns made for the closest tree he could reach and scrambled as high as he could up into its branches.

Twenty minutes later he watched Riddick's ship take off from the tree line, he scowled at the column of black smoke rising in the direction his ship had been hidden away in. The tiger had laid down beneath the tree, the drugs working through its system. John's waited another ten minutes to be sure the beast was fully out, before risking the climb down.

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Four days later,

Johns perused the outgoing ships on the board at the docking station, scowling, he was going to have to take cargo transport back to the Tangiers System where he could pick up a new ship. The thought of thirty or so weeks in cryo on some broken down cargo piece of _gou shi_, when a regular class ship could have gotten there in a third of the time made him sick, lotta time for things to go wrong in the ghost lanes. He didn't have much of a choice though, Riddick and his little psycho pet Tam had blown his ship to shit, and he'd spent most his creds tracking the fucker down, only option was traveling coach. The Hunter-Gratzner it was.

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**Endnote: Whew! That chap felt like it had to be ripped out of me, so much going on the last two days, sorry this was a little later than usual. Hmmmm…Johns is hopping on the HG is he? Wonder how that will play out for him?**

'_**Til after now.**_


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **

**Sabrina1204: I am having so much fun with this version of River and Riddick! It'll be a while still before we have a run in with the crew of Serenity and they'll disappear entirely probably after this update until then. I have so much more coming and ready to go but I keep trading of with B&B so nobody kills me lol! And again girlie thanks so much for your fabulousness!**

**Celticicegoddess: hehehe I love this Jayne, he was always one of my favs from the series, thought I'd give him a little bit of spotlight this time around. Keep truckin' on with your story momma, I anxiously await it : )**

**pyrobabe7713: Thanks girlie, for the review and the love, promise I got a whole bunch more Riddick n River up my sleeves even after the 2 I'm working on are done, I'm slightly obsessed myself (can you tell lol). Hope you enjoy.**

**carcrafter7: lol, I think the head banging made that scene, and I told ya I'd get ya another update, you can thank my boyfriend for not minding that I've gone off the deep end of uber-geekness lol.**

_**Just a girl with voices that won't shut up in her head, not makin' any coin, all belongs to others much more talented than I.**_

_**Warning: Lemons alert, if you don't wanna read look out for the XXXXXXXXXXXXXX and skip on past 'til you see the line again.**_

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_(Takes place as Riddick and River are leaving Greenfall)_

"Found 'em Cap." Kaylee called over her shoulder.

"What we got little Kaylee?" Mal leaned in to take a closer look.

"Shikra class," she let out a low whistle, "Ain't no way we're catchin' up to that Cap, 'iffin that's what they got, little ship can do twice our speed and that's without any mods, man like 'im, prolly got it fully loaded."

"Where they headed?"

Kaylee turned back to the cortex screen and after a few seconds brought up the flight logs for the docking yards, "Says here Persephone, but yous and me both know what it says isn't where it's goin'."

"Well it's a start, be needin' the coin anyhap, might find some work, gotta pay for the fuel to track her _pig gu_ (ass) 'cross the 'verse. Jayne have less reason to bitch 'bout doin' what he's paid to do 'iffin he's got some coin weighing 'im down."

"Think we'll find her Cap?"

"Ain't gonna be hard once the dying starts," Mal said looking away.

"You don't think she'd hurt nobody she's been better since Miranda?"

"Ain't no getting' better from what they did to our Albatross, girl needs her meds, needs to be supervised, ain't no tellin' what could set her off, remember that fit she had over Book's hair?"

Kaylee nodded, "You don't think Riddick will kill her?" She asked hopefully, fear etched evidently across her face, though her worry was more for what it would do to Simon and less for River.

"Can't say what he wants with the 'Tross, but I aim to find out, and 'iffin' he's harmed one gorram hair on her head, I'll put a bullet 'tween his eyes, 'fore he can blink."

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_(Active timeline, four days past Riddick and River's departure from Greenfall, Johns has just boarded the HG)_

_  
_ If Feros truly did breed crime, Juno was where it went to become an art form. One of the few truly _civilized_ Rim Worlds, it had all the polished and refined edges of the Core, but when one looked closer one would see how the edges picked up around the corners and all the ugliness swept away and hidden under the carpet.

"The girl wishes to know when we will meet the employer and begin more profitable endeavors." She asked, after an entire day of sitting in orbit around Juno. Since the night of the stolen kisses, as she had come to refer to it in her mind, an unnamed tension had fallen over them both, a dance in which neither partner knew the moves, and this she was uncomfortable with, River had always known the moves, even before the Academy had tampered with her mind, and at the same time she was fearful that the Riddick would leave her, if she did not learn the steps quickly enough.

Riddick laughed, "Ain't a single contact I have knows my face from anythin' other then the news feeds. What kinda criminals you been workin' with?" He asked with a smirk, as he moved his bishop, capturing one of River's knights.

At first having a chess partner again had been fun, but he was now so fucking sick of it he could barely stand to look at the board. It didn't help that there were a million and one other things he'd much rather have been doing with _his_ girl, but the problem was she didn't think she was _his_ and had told him quite plainly that she was not a toy when he had tried to kiss her again. It also didn't help that River had won every fucking game they had played, and the last time it'd been such a brutal and humiliating loss he nearly snapped the damn board in half, but River had read his mind and snatched it out of the way before he could.

She frowned, her brow furrowing, "In retrospect they were careless and inefficient, the captain has an proclivity for getting shot, kidnapped, and betrayed, his morality is both a strength and a weakness, admirable but misguided." She claimed the bishop which had just stolen her knight.

Riddick swore, "Fuck."  
"If you do not meet the contact how is business arranged?" She asked suppressing a giggle, she could have ended it in the first three moves, however this way was much more fun, give the Riddick hope and then crush him. Also, the last time she had, the Riddick had attempted to destroy the source of his humiliation, and she could not allow that.

Riddick quirked an eyebrow, "How's it you don't know this stuff girl? Got the skill but you're workin' like a gorram merc." He moved a pawn.

River shrugged as she moved her rook without a thought, seemingly indifferent to its fate, "The captain and the warrior did not trust the girl, thought her only capable of doing what she was told. The man-named-Jayne appreciated skill but had felt the blade before and did not wish to risk it, he was wary, and rightfully so. The Ge-ge did not think her sane and his sunshine echoed his opinions as her own, while the perfumed woman felt pity, the girl detests pity most of all. They told the girl where to shot, when to read, never consulted her on other subjects. They oft dismissed her warnings as the ramblings of the insane, made them uncomfortable to listen to the girl talk, preferred her to sit pretty and quiet."

Riddick scowled, "Sounds like a bunch of ruttin' idiots, words make sense to me, I like the way they come out, like honey and barbed wire." His scowl changed over to a smirk as River's color rose.

"The Riddick has not answered the girl's question." She quickly changed the course of the conversation, she was his partner, and this knowledge was entitled to her. River could have plucked it from his mind, but the Riddick had been learning to block her and feel her when she pushed. It was actually quite annoying how quickly he had been able to do so and so she had stopped trying.

"After the game," he grunted, moving his queen and she felt the smugness radiate off of him.

River smiled, as she deftly collected his queen, her prize and announced, "Checkmate. Information, please and thank you."

"GODDAMN IT!"Riddick roared knocking the pieces off the board, "New rule, no more fucking chess!" He barked.

River giggled, "The girl has played 1,436,978 games of chess, versus both human and artificial intelligence, she has never been beaten."  
"Gorram ruttin' genius," he muttered, downing the last of his beer and standing, "Well come on' girl, you wanna see how the big boys play or what?"

River followed Riddick into the cockpit, and took her designated co pilot's chair while Riddick leaned over her shoulder and brought up his private messages on the cortex screen. She was intensely aware of the heat which radiated off his skin, he smelt of sweat and blood, of wild fury.

The beast purred with pleasure at the sudden edge to River's scent, _intentions change baby girl_, he thought to himself, leaning in closer and taking the opportunity to graze his lips over her hair, covering the action with words, "I work on a referral only based program," he smirked against her hair, shifting so one arm crossed the back of her chair and the other leaned against the console, "One of my contacts will send me a name, I do my own kind of research, and 'iffin' the new guys clean and got the creds, I make contact. Each one of my associates has a separate encrypted frequency," Riddick dialed in a pass code, he didn't bother hiding it from River, she was a ruttin' reader, didn't see the point really. "This program has a virus written in, first incorrect entry and it eats itself, any attempts to link from a handheld and hack, trigger the virus."

"Cleanliness is next to godliness." River said softly.

"That's right baby girl, never leave a trail." He smirked, as he accessed a file labeled Jove.

"The king of the goddess?" River asked.

Riddick chuckled, "Sure is girl, Jove controls the black market on this rock, ain't a thing or person gets on or off without him knowin'."

"And Jove is the employer?"

Riddick nodded, "Sent him a message when we hit orbit, all contacts have one standard universal hour to respond, three minutes late or three seconds don't matter, one hour, after that I kick on. Jove responded," he pointed to a message line and clicked it open, "the Target's on a deep spacer, cryo-cargo transport, The Hunter-Gratzner, he's locating the ship and should have the coordinates within the hour now." Riddick said checking the ship's chrono.

River scrolled through the screen quickly reading the target's profile and offense. "The greedy always fall." She said absently.

"Little dogs should learn not to piss on the big ones," Riddick smirked, enlarging a picture of their target, a small, thin, pale faced man that looked as though he had no spine at all, "Meet Paris P. Ogilvie, antiquities dealer and momma's boy. Ogilvie got himself pinched for possession of stolen goods, decided to turn rat when he realized the Slam would eat him alive, made a deal with one of Jove's top boys, feds raided, Ogilvie made off with the money, the goods, and a clean record."

"It is unwise to anger the gods; their bolts will strike you from the sky."

Riddick chuckled, "Yeah, pissed Jove off powerful, ain't one that crosses him and lives, been thinkin' on tryin' myself."

River snorted and rolled her eyes, "The Riddick would not bite the hand that feeds it."

"Yeah, probably not," he conceded flopping into the pilot's chair, "Man's made me comfortable, but it'd sure as hell be fun."

River eyed the Riddick, her head tilted to the side, "The Riddick has all the wealth he would ever need, and yet he still dances for coin. Why?"

"Retirement's borin', ain't old yet, where's the fun in layin' low? Would ya wanna sit around and knit on a porch?"

River made a disgusted face.

"My point exactly," he chuckled.

"The girl cannot imagine the Riddick with knitting needles, unless he had no other weapon options. There are 97 different ways to kill with knitting implements." River said after a quick calculation in her head.

Riddick barked out a laugh.

River listened to the sound pleased with herself for being the source of it.

The cortex screen beeped, indicating a new message. "Right on time," Riddick smirked getting back up to lean over River's shoulder once more, "Headed toward Tangiers System," his smirk evolved into a grimace.

"Slam city." River pulled the random thought from his head.

"Prison colony in that system, did my first stint there, or started to anyway, 'bout as Rim as you get out there."

River's fingers moved across the screen and brought up a map of the known systems and with her fingertips traced out the Hunter-Gratzner's plotted course. "Here," she pointed at a track of dead space, "Sol Track Shipping Lane."

Riddick looked over the map and grunted in agreement, "Ghost lane, low traffic, no inhabited worlds, 'bout two weeks out, looks like perfect spot to me baby girl," Riddick said going back to sit in his chair. "Confirm the message's been received and accepted. I'm gonna plot us a 'course, gonna have to refuel," he paused and scrolled through the map, "here, Pathos Space Station, intergalactic truck stop."

River typed the message and then ran the encryption program. "Full recovery of goods is also a requirement." She frowned, heavy lifting not what she signed up for.

"Ain't the problem, gettin' on that ancient piece of _gou shi_ (shit) is, might have to stash this and lift something on the station that's got a retractable airlock."

"The theft of a ship poses an unacceptable risk." River disagreed.

"Got a better idea?" He scowled.

River smirked at him, and brought up the specs on the ship's model, "The girl will pick the lock."

Riddick laughed as he guided the ship outta orbit, "Girl I don't know who let you go but I sure as hell ain't."

River radiated joy.

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_Five days later…._

River had waited until she was sure the Riddick was dreaming and crept out of her room and down into the hold, her bare feet silent as she moved across the grating. "Lights twenty five percent," she called out to the empty bay, and with a resounding click the computer obeyed her command, and using the Riddick's weight bar as a makeshift ballet bar, she began to stretch, enjoying the delicious pull of each movement.

"Music, search, Yeltskiv, Metamorphosis, volume forty percent," she told the computer as she completed her stretch and moved to the center of the hold. River closed her eyes, and listening to the slow build of the music, she pushed herself up en pointe, and let the music take her.

Riddick woke to the sound of classical music echoing throughout the ship, curious, he got up, not bothering for a shirt or his boots and followed the sound into the hold.

River became aware she was no longer alone, but she did not falter, the Riddick did not shake his head with pity as he watched her dance, he did not wonder about the little girl who had danced before the Academy and died there, or assume her dosages needed to be increased because she could not sleep, no, his only thought was, _beautiful._ The Riddick did not see her as flawed, he saw her as divine. The tempo of the music increased, the lyrical piano was replaced with the violence of percussion and rapid strings. River sunk low, and then rising she withdrew her curved shivs, using them as a normal ballerina would use ribbons and her dance became as violent and intense as the music which coursed through her veins.

Riddick growled low in his throat as he watched her, resisting the urge to reach out and take what was _his_. Restraint was a new concept, the beast was having difficulty. Riddick wasn't used to not being able to touch, what he wanted he took, but the girl, _his_ girl was different. They'd already taken from her, ripped from her what was supposed to be sacred and untouchable, he would not leave himself open for comparison to the _hun dans_. He had to make her understand first that she was not like the others, she was not a toy, she was _his_. The distinction being toys were disposable, River was not, her scent was burned into his mind, better than any drug or whiskey he'd ever tasted, and the thought of its absence sent the beast into a snarling rage.

River danced as though she was unaware of his attention, as if his thoughts had not reached her, but they had, and the dance shifted from one of release for her, to a dance meant for _her _Riddick, and when the music faded to the final note, her shivs clattering to the floor, she raised her head and opened her eyes, fixating her gaze on the shadows _her_ Riddick stood in.

"Beautiful," he whispered, knowing she would hear him from across the silence of the hold.

"They have called her many things, but never that." She took a step forward.

"Any fool with eyes could see," Riddick matched her step forward with one of his own, emerging from the shadows, his eyes taking in every detail of _his_ girl. Not once in his life had he ever damned the eyes he had been born with, but he thought now, he would willingly give up every advantage they gave him, just to see her in color.

"And yet the Riddick would blind himself for the girl, for a vision of her in color." She echoed his thoughts and closed the distance between them quickly, standing en pointe once more, her fingers tentatively reaching out to trace the shape of his eyes and Riddick leaned into her touch, nuzzling her hand, a low deep purr rumbling from his chest.

"Your eyes girl," he growled out.

"Warm, they are the taste of chocolate melted by the sun," she answered his question in a way he could understand, and he did, recalling the taste of melting chocolate, he learned the color of her eyes.

Riddick ran his fingers through her hair, reveling in its softness, "Hair." It wasn't a question as he brought a handful of it to his face and inhaled deeply.

"It mimics the eyes but deeper, laced with black coffee."

Riddick purred, "Know what you smell like girl," again it wasn't a question.

"Wants to hear it," she whispered.

He chuckled snatching her wrist, and gently lifting it to his face, he inhaled and pulled her forward, his free hand wrapping around behind her neck, he buried his face against it, his nose nuzzling the pulse point behind her ear, and he whispered, "Like gunpowder and blood, sweetened sandalwood and bergamot. Smell like the earth girl, smell wild, fucking intoxicating." He breathed against her ear.

A small moan escaped her lips, and Riddick growled in pleasure, the sound sending tiny fissions of electricity down her spine as his lips traced her jaw line. He hovered above her lips, "Go to bed River girl."

River immediately withdrew, not understanding and burning with humiliation, she turned to flee when a sudden clarity set in as the Riddick's thoughts reached her, he was afraid of hurting her, afraid it wasn't what she wanted, afraid he wouldn't be able to stop the beast once he got a taste. She turned her head back to look at him, his eyes devouring her still, "Intentions change."

Riddick growled, and in the next breath she was swept up into his arms, back pinned once again to the cold metal of the bay wall, there would be no whispering voices to interrupt. He nipped against her lower lip, gently tugging between his teeth, "You sure 'bout this River girl?" He growled, nipping against her throat, "Changes everythin', makes you _mine._ Ain't no leavin' after this, what's _mine is mine_."

"The girl has no desire to leave what is _hers_." Riddick's lips crashed against hers, his kisses were hard and demanding, and River had not been aware they had moved until her back hit the mattress in _her_ Riddick's bunk.

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River allowed her fingertips to roam free; tracing each scar and line of muscle they encountered spurred on by the way he arched into her touch and the constant seductive low rumble of his purr. Riddick pulled back taking her tank top with him, and ran his open out stretched palm from the waistband of her shorts up her abdomen, past the valley of her breasts and wrapping once more around the back of her neck, his free hand held her thigh, and he yanked her small frame up against him, searching out her lips in a savage abandon.

His bare skin felt like raw fire against her own, her pale and creamy tone glowing against his warm caramel coloring. Rather than pull away from the flames she pressed herself closer, willing herself to burn in them. She cried out in disappointment when his lips broke from hers, but the cry of displeasure quickly turned on itself as his hands tore away the last impediment to her breasts, and his mouth began to devour them in turn.

Her skin tasted sweeter than he could have imagined, and he growled against her nipple as he bit down and she mewled with pleasure, the scent of it driving him wild, the most primal of urges overtaking him, the need to mark her, to leave a visible sign of his claim for the 'verse to see.

River sensed his need, and bared her neck, pulling away her hair.

Riddick growled deep and loud, hunger alive in his eyes, and roughly he grabbed up a knot of her hair in his hand and pulled her head back further as his nose caressed the frail and delicate skin of her neck, "Tell me." He demanded.

She knew what he wanted to hear, and she believed it as truth as well, "The girl is yours."

Riddick sank his teeth into her neck, stopping just before he broke the skin and she cried out in pleasure laced with pain, a divine concept she had only yet begun to understand.

"Mine," he rumbled against her lips.

"Yes," she moaned, and the last impediments to their bodies vanished as if they had never existed.

Riddick took his time, examining, memorizing, worshipping every inch of her skin until she was trembling and then his lips and tongue sought out the source of her scent, the core of her heat, and the beast feasted.

River screamed out his name as her world shattered in an explosion of color and sensation, as _her_ Riddick gripped her by her hips, holding her to him, drinking her in.

"Riddick," she moaned.

A low chuckle rumbled against her stomach as he nuzzled his face in, she pulled him up and kissed him, her taste still warm on his lips.

"Baby girl, this is gonna hurt," he warned her, regret heavy in his voice, "ain't no way around it." His lips traveling down her neck to _his_ mark, his tongue tracing the indentations his teeth had left behind as his fingers probed gently her hidden depths.

She arched into his grip, moaning his name as her consent.

Riddick forced himself away from her neck and pressed his forehead against hers, "Open your eyes baby girl." He commanded, and as River obeyed he pushed himself past the last remaining barrier between them.

River bit her lip against the brief sensation of pain, before giving into the divine sensation of completion and fulfillment.

Riddick held still, every nerve ending in his body vibrating with tension, his lips demanding hers as distraction, as he waited for her to adjust, and her hips bucked forward issuing consent.

The time for teasing gentleness was past, and Riddick relinquished the last vestiges of his self control, the sounds cascading from River's lips urging him on, his thoughts wrapping around her and through her, _mine, mine, mine, mine,_ his mind screamed.

_Her_ Riddick, _her _beast and again he made her world shattered, filling her, absorbing her, and in a violent roar he came with her, and the entirety of the 'verse erupted from within.

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"Mal, I've been all over this gorram rock, ain't a single ruttin' trace of Crazy." Jayne bitched, stomping back up the ramp. He hadn't expected to find any, even he knew a gorram wanted con didn't actually fly where he told people he was goin'.

"Dropped a wave to Monty, told 'im to keep a look out for Albatross." Mal said from the walkway railing, "Didn't really expect much to come of this trip."

"_Pai an jiao jue _(wonderful)! Wanna tell me what in the fucking hell we're doin' here then?" He yelled. It was the height of summer on Persephone and he had spent the entire day in the stinking slums boiling damn near to death, he wanted a shower, a drink, and something to shoot, not necessarily in that order.

"Watch it Jayne!" Mal barked, "'Member whose captain of this boat."

"Can't forget when you keep reminding me captain."

"Well… Good. Got us a job, take us farther out on the Rim then we been in awhile, but the coin's worth it and we're headin' out that way anyhows."

"A job?" Jayne perked up instantly, "Am I gonna get to shoot somethin'?"

Mal shifted his weight, glad once more Jayne was on his side, well for the most part anyway, "Mayhap, we'll be makin' a couple of stops 'long the way."

"Oh gorram it Mal!" Jayne was instantly pissed off once more, "Ain't gonna find the girl 'iffin' she don't wanna be found."

"And what is she does Jayne?" Mal demanded, "What 'iffin' he's hurtin' her, you wanna just leave her to him."

"Mal, ain't nobody can lay a finger on that girl 'iffin' she don't wanna be touched. I learned my lesson, only need to be dropped once by a ninety pound _xiao yao_ (small demon)."

"Dropped ya twice Jayne."

"Ain't the point gorram it Mal and you know it," Jayne stomped off toward his bunk muttering, "fucking wild Crazy chase 'cross the 'verse, ruttin' _feng le_ (insane) idiots," pausing mid stream to yell, "Job better pay Mal!"

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Riddick lay awake, watching the small sleeping form of _his_ girl curled around his chest, her breath warm against his skin, and Riddick was overwhelmed for the first time in his life with the need to protect another creature aside from himself. Girl had gone and crawled right underneath his skin, he pulled her closer to his chest, burying his face into her wild mass of hair and she let out a soft sigh, in response, her slender pale arms wrapping themselves tighter around his neck. Riddick traced the pattern of her spine, his hands freezing in motion as they ran over several pitted scars, he pulled the sheet back, needle marks.

The beast snarled, blinded by rage until River's shiver brought him back to himself and he covered her once more, pulling her even closer. _Ain't a hand ever gonna touch you again that ain't mine River girl, mine now, don't like it when people touch what's mine. _

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_Three days later…_

"My Riddick must cease his current train of thought if he wishes his girl to successfully dock the ship." River smirked, shooting an unrepentant Riddick a sideways glance.

He shrugged, "Ain't nothin' else to do."

"Idle minds are the devil's mischief." River blushed furiously at his next thoughts. "My Riddick wins! He may dock the ship."

Riddick chuckled and switched over the controls.

"He is a child." She pouted.

He laughed harder, yeah, girl had turned out to be all sorts of fun.

"Ship's in line for refueling and stocked. What's say you and me get a drink?" Riddick asked her.

River quirked an eyebrow, a small mischievous grin on her face, "Your girl has a more profitable vision of entertainment."

Riddick followed her sideways glance to a nearby sign advertising a casino and chuckled, "Lead the way River-girl."

Five hours, three casinos, and several thousand creds richer, a slightly inebriated pair of assassins began to make their way back to the docking yards, in a very sort of vague general direction kind of way.

"Baby you are fucking beautiful, ya know that?" Riddick asked her.

River giggled, spinning away from him and directly into a giant Sasquatch of a man, complete with wild hair and fuzzy beard. She froze.

"Know that laugh anywhere little bit, and know your Captain is tryin' to track your _pig gu_ 'cross the 'verse too. Girl what you been thinkin', whole ships havin' a gorram fit over you up and leavin' stealin' a shuttle too, after all they done for you?" Monty grabbed hold of her arm.

River took a step back, twisting out of his grip, reassured by the growling wall of muscle behind her, whose arm shot out wrapping possessively around her waist.

"'Vise you to kick the fuck on, ain't fond of people touchin' what's mine," Riddick growled low, removing his goggles.

"Don't think I know you friend, but the little bit here got kin lookin' for her, girl needs proper care and she's been without it."

"Don't need to know me ,"Riddick snarled, pushing River behind him, "Girl ain't got no kin but me, and ain't nothin' she needs that I ain't been givin' her, only gonna tell you once more, kick the fuck on buddy."

"Ain't wantin' trouble," Monty said, unclipping his holster, "but I will be needin' the little runaway, see I know her kin well, consider me an extended member of the family…" Monty didn't have the opportunity to finish before he was slammed against the alleyway wall, a curved shiv pressed against his throat.

"Ain't fucking takin' what's mine!" Riddick snarled, the beast smirking as the man struggled, a look of surprised panic crossing his face.

River reached out and touched his arm, but locked her eyes on Monty, "You did not see the girl and her Riddick, tell the captain he would be wise to cease looking, the Albatross no longer flies with him, she stole the wings because they clipped hers, his gilded cage is a cage all the same."

Monty did not understand, Riddick clarified, "Means tell yours to stay the fuck away," Riddick growled, "Ain't wantin' her old life back, gots me now, and I'm all she needs." He smirked, slightly increasing the pressure of his shiv against the man's throat, a thin ribbon of crimson seeped out. "Next time you lay a finger on what's mine, she won't be able to stop me from slicin' clear through and shittin' down your neck, _dong ma _(understand me)? Monty muttered something incoherent that Riddick took for a yes, "Go on messenger boy, git," he smirked as he released his hold.

"River girl, ain't got to go with him, I'll take you home." Monty choked out.

Riddick snarled, "Girl's home is with me, she ain't goin' nowhere." He grabbed up River's hand, "Time to blow this heap baby girl, got a job to do."

"They do not believe the Albatross can survive outside of her cage, they are wrong." River told Monty before she allowed her Riddick to lead her away, "poisoned needles are poisoned needles, even if the intention shifts, they cannot fix what is no longer broken."

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"Gorram it Mal!" Monty snapped across the wave, "Coulda told me girl was with a ruttin' psychopath, woulda waited 'til my boys were with me 'fore I strolled on up, man damn near slit me throat!"

"You've seen her? How is she?" Simon pushed past Mal to get to the wave screen.

"Yeah Doc I seen her, girl's gone right back off the deep end goin' on about birds and cages, told me to tell ya to stop lookin'."

Jayne snorted from the doorway, "Been tryin' to tell 'em that myself!"

"Ain't mean you should, man was powerful tetchy on the subject of the girl, callin' her his and all that, don't know Mal, girl didn't look right, looked different, looked like a ruttin' killer she did."

"Cause gorram it she is!" Jayne barked.

Mal glared at him before answering Monty, "Where you at?"

"Pathos Space Station, last stop 'fore you hit the shippin' lanes, doubt they're still here though, said somethin' 'bout a job."

"Ain't no matter, know where they're headed now, outer systems, should have guessed as much if they wanted to stay hid."

"Yeah well listen Mal, I done what you asked, and take my word on it boy, man she's with got a powerful hold on her, gonna have to go through him to get your girl back, man's a mite tetchy 'bout what belongs to him and he thinks River falls in that category."

"Thanks Monty, be seein' ya." Mal said clicking off the wave, "Doc?"

"He's brainwashed her," Simon said, as if that explained everything and for him it did, the possibility of his sister willing travelling with Richard B. Riddick not once crossing his mind, "In her state, without her meds, she'd be open to manipulation, out there and alone she'd want someone to anchor her. I shudder to think of what kind of job he has lined up that he'll be using River for, she doesn't handle violence well."

Jayne slapped his hand against his face and drug it slowly down, "Ruttin' hell, ain't any of you got a single thought in your heads that makes a gorram bit of sense? Crazy found herself a bit o' trim, ain't nothin' else but that."

"Jayne!" Mal and Simon yelled at him in unison.

"What?"

"My sister is not some _Jian huo_ (cheap floozy)!"

"Ain't sayin' that Doc." Jayne took a step back hands up.

"What are you sayin' Jayne?" Mal asked through gritted teeth and Jayne stared at him a moment before answering.

"Nothin' Mal, ain't no point in it," Jayne let out a sharp exhale as he turned to leave the cockpit, "ain't a fucking point to it."

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_Six days later……………_

"There she is," Riddick smirked as the large cargo ship came into view.

"It's wrong." River frowned.

"What do you mean it's wrong?" Riddick looked at the ship again, all the parts movin' and runnin'.

"It's all wrong."

"Gonna have to give me a bit more than that girl to blow off a job like this." Riddick scowled.

"It feels wrong," she stressed again, "your girl does not belong here."

Riddick spun his chair out to face her, "_My_ girl belongs where ever _I _take her." He growled out.

"It's wrong." She insisted.

"Ain't nothin' wrong here baby," he checked the monitors, "scanners are clean, ship's runnin', we get in, get the goods, kill the fucker and get the hell out, two hundred thousand creds richer." He smirked, "Thought profitable employment was what you been wantin', well here it is. Ain't even gonna be much fun, everybody 'board that boat is asleep, not even a guard to play with."

River rolled her eyes and snorted at her Riddick's sullen look, and her hands began to fly across the screen, working her way into the Hunter-Gratzner's computer. "She is in, Bay six is opening, desired cargo located in Sector D-four," River suddenly looked up, "The blue eyed devil slumbers beside the greedy rat."

Riddick quirked an eyebrow, "You tellin' me Johns' is on that boat?"

"Your girl told you, twenty seven percent chance of escape."

Riddick snorted.

"Cryo-sleep in the ghost lanes, so much empty space, so many things may go wrong," her gaze drifted to the windshield, "the ship is ancient and weary, the chambers decrepit, an extra drip turns the sleeping potion to poison, makes the bones scream, zero percent chance of escape or survival. Your girl does not tolerate threats to her survival or that of her Riddick's, this time we play her way."

He threw his head back and laughed, "Fucking beautiful." He wasn't looking at the ship.

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**Endnote: Well that was a long one, for those of you who don't like the lemons, sorry, promise only one per story lol, sometimes you just gotta have it, and I think this version of River and Riddick needed it. **

'_**Til after now.**_


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: We're here! The good old HG. Enjoy.**

**Celticicegoddess: lol, lemony zest I love it! I find it's harder to write male characters too, River is def much easier for me to write than Riddick, sometimes with him I feel like I've made him too soft with River, so then I make him extra tough on anyone who's not River to compensate, and then I think, Um, was that too much? Lol let's face it writing is for sadists. And thanks so much trusting me with your story when you start getting it down, I'd love to help in any way I can. Hope you enjoy, much luv.**

**Sabrina1204-Knew you'd pick up on the connection there, and by the by, expect something totally different from this version of PB, having River along for the ride changes the way Riddick will interact with the other characters, no reason for him to rejoin the human race if he's got a girl that appreciates the finer points of his animal side, hope I don't let you down… owe you something after the whole Zoe thing lol.**

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"Your girl is bored." River huffed sitting cross legged on top of a crate as she watched Riddick move back and forth stealing once more the already twice stolen cargo.

"Could help," Riddick grunted glaring at her as he hauled another giant sarcophagus like crate.

"She does not do lifting, my Riddick is the muscle, your girl is the brain."

Riddick chuckled, "Just the muscle huh?"

"Precisely, if my Riddick was the brain he would have already noticed the hand mule on the other side of the bay." She looked up from a study of her fingernails.

Riddick growled swearing as he stomped off to the other side of the ship to get the hand mule, the echo of River's giggles following him across the bay.

* * *

"Door's locked." Riddick rumbled as he palmed a shiv to crack the control panel open.

"There is a more efficient way." River corrected him and slipped under his arm to reach the controls.

"Hows that?" He smirked.

"Everything leaves a whisper," she told him, and ran her fingers over the number pad, "metal carries memories, coldest to warmest just follow the trail." River punched in the nine digit code and the door hissed open.

Riddick chuckled as he sauntered past her, his fingers catching in her hair.

"Told you she was the brains," she quipped, allowing him to lead her gently by a few strands of her hair. He tilted her chin up and grazed his lips over hers.

"Let's get this done, got other things I'd rather be doing," he smirked as she spun away from him skipping down the aisle.

"Enie-meanie-miney-moe-who-caught-the-tigers-by-the-toe?" She twirled to a stop in front of a cryo locker.

"William J. Johns, shoulda quit when I left a piece of my shiv in your spine." Riddick said, tapping the glass, a slight scowl on his face.

"My Riddick is not pleased."

"Not alotta fun is it? Ghostin' a man while he sleeps."

River rolled her eyes. "His continued existence is a threat to our survival."

"You don't really think he could take us down?" Riddick smirked at her.

River tilted her head and studied the sleeping man, her eyes glazing over as she reached into his dreams and touched his mind. Immediately, she recoiled in disgust.

Riddick growled expecting an explanation.

"He dreams of a girl who does not belong to him," she shuddered, "he does vile things."

"Fuckers dead." Riddick snarled and slammed down on the door release.

Johns fell out of the chamber, coughing and disorientated, "What the fuck!"

Riddick slammed his boot into the merc's ribs, growling in satisfaction as he heard the crack that accompanied the breaking of bone. "Shoulda stayed in the fucking jungle Johns."

Johns was flipped onto his back by the force of the blow, "Fuck," he swore trying to make sense of what was happening, the cryo drugs still weighing his mind down.

Riddick grabbed a hold of Johns by his hair and pulled the merc up and on to his feet. "See that girl boy?" Riddick snarled into his ear, pointing a curved shiv at River, "Open your fucking eyes Johns!" He snapped, yanking back harder, "See her? She's mine Johns." Riddick tapped the tip of his shiv against the freshly healed scar his girl had painted on Johns' face in the jungle, pressing lightly to reopen it. "Gonna start with your eyes boy, teach you not to look."

Through the metal wall of the ship River heard a whisper, her head jerked up straining to hear. "Riddick!" She shrieked, launching herself at him as tiny particles ripped their way through the hull of the ship, passing through the air where he had been standing just a moment before.

"What the fuck was that?" Riddick growled and as if to answer the ships alarms began to sound.

"We must fly away before the hunter falls from the stars and we are lost forever in the eternal night!" River yelled at him over the screaming alarms, trying to pull him back up to his feet.

"River girl what the fuck is going on?" Riddick stumbled forward as the ship bucked violently.

Her head tilted to the side and she spoke in a voice not entirely her own, "1550 millibars, dropping 20 MB per minute. Shit! We're hemorrhaging air, somethin' took a swipe at us!" and after a pause, she continued in another voice, more masculine this time, "Just tell me we're still in the shipping lane. Just show me all those stars, all those bright, beautiful, deep-space...."

"River-girl," Riddick growled to get her attention back, as her faced paled, "Time to get back to the ship." Riddick jerked his head around, Johns was still doubled over on the floor, Riddick planted another kick in to his ribs, "Do yourself a fuckin' favor Billy-boy, stay dead this time." Riddick smirked and grabbed River's arm ready to drag her ass back to their ship. "No!" River fought him, as the reinforced air lock doors slid closed, "She will kill us all to survive." The ship lurched, "Purge the dead weight and the pilots will fly free." "FUCK!" Riddick roared slamming his fist into the closed door, the only thing separating them from the vacuum of space.

Johns laughed, "Looks like we all die together," He stood raising his hand gun.

Riddick pushed River behind him, snarling. "Big man with the big gun." The ship rocked hard again and Johns stumbled still woozy from the cryo drugs, Riddick lunged, tackling the merc to the ground, both men were momentarily distracted as the air lock door between the main cabin and the passenger chamber began to seal itself.

River took the opportunity to plant her boot in the merc's face, kicking him off of her Riddick, "Blood later," she screamed at him, "We must secure ourselves!" She yanked him up off the ground. "She would kill us to save herself, has been thwarted, survival rate is too low to calculate, we must alter the factors."

Riddick growled grabbing her and lifting her up into the ceiling rafters, he jumped up behind her swinging his legs up and over the metal bar. "Hang on!" He screamed at her.

Johns forced his eyes open, unsure of what had just happened, one second Riddick was pinned beneath him and the next he had blacked out again, gorram girl. He looked around the bay trying to regain his footing as the ship violently rocked. The back end of the passenger cabin tore open, cryo lockers flying out, and Johns was sucked back by the force of it managing to latch onto a support beam before he went flying out into the desert.

"Fucking leech!" Riddick snarled disappointed Johns was managing to hang on. River lost her grip as the ship lurched to a violent halt and went careening to the floor, her head slamming against the grating with a sickening thud. "River!" Riddick roared, trying to free himself from the tangle of wires, he had gotten caught up in, tumbling down to the ground himself he landed on his back, the wind temporarily knocked out of him. He could smell her blood, it sent the beast into a frenzy. "River-girl!" He snapped, hefting a metal column which had collapsed on top of her out of the way. As he knelt down to pick her up a metal bar connected with the back of his head, and Riddick fell forward as his world went black. "Fucking Johns," his last conscious thought.

"Somebody's gonna get dead one of these days boy," Johns sneered down at the two unconscious forms, "and it ain't gonna be me."

* * *

River was blindfolded and chained to a support beam, eleven whispers of panic drifted into her mind, a Crislam holy man, his three charges, pilgrims to New Mecca, would they find their god here? Free settlers, they smelled of tools and leather, they weren't afraid, they were hardening themselves, the rat had survived, and she smirked to herself, the irony of it was hysterical, the one they had come to kill had survived when most others had died. The devil had lived as well, but she didn't need to hear his thoughts to assume as much, she was chained to a beam was she not, his survival was obvious. A girl, young, on the verge of being a woman, pretending to be a boy, learned the hard way, River would keep her secret. The woman had lived, the pilot, River did not fault her for trying to kill them, in her position she would have done the same, survival was first and foremost. The noble man, willing to die for strangers, and he would, not just yet however, there would be pain, the price of nobility.

Her Riddick was chained in front of her, she could feel his rage as he gnawed against his bit, his mind was jagged with worry, he could smell his girl and her blood, wanted to get to her, he lashed out against his chains. She wanted to reassure him, but a bit cut into her own mouth as well, and any sounds she could make would only increase his fear and worry, but he could feel her, and when she pushed into his mind, making her presence known but still unable to communicate he calmed, albeit slightly.

They both tensed again, as Riddick smelled Johns approach and River sensed it. The beast growled past his bit as Johns bypassed Riddick and headed straight towards River and removed her bit.

"Got some things to talk on girl," Johns said, and River turned her head away. "Wanna know how you were able to avoid my darts, and that little speech you gave right before the crash, interested in how you knew all that, I'm thinkin' there's more to you than meets the eye." He grabbed her chin roughly, forcing her to look at him.

Riddick snarled, watching the scene through a hole in his blindfold. "Big Bad over there can't help you now girl, you'll be wantin' to talk to me." Johns warned. River spit in his face, and behind his bit Riddick chuckled. "Bitch." Johns sneered wiping the spit from his face, he backhanded her.

Riddick lurched against his chains, snarling in rage, ain't no one touches his girl.

River laughed, the sound of it actually frightening Johns, it was manic, the sound of the insane. He hit her again trying to make her shut the fuck up, but she only laughed harder. "Big man, with the big gauge, Billy-Bad Ass while the girl's in chains," her laughter abruptly ended, a silence falling over the small section of wreckage. "You wish to know about the girl? Well let's play a game, the girl knows your secrets, which one should she name? Needle in the eye, makes the pain go away, is it the pain or the shakes that gives him two mornings a day?" Johns hit her again, leaving behind a large red handprint.

"Shut the fuck up!" He snapped at her. Riddick snarled. River giggled, "Thought you wanted to talk."

A scream from another compartment in the wreckage, and Johns jerked his attention away from the girl, "Ain't done with you girl, I'll be back." He got up and stomped away.

"Wants to talk, doesn't want to talk, wants to talk, the morphine muddles your brain!" She called after him giggling, pleased he did not replace the bit.

Riddick growled from across the room.

"Rogue comet," River answered his question.

Riddick grunted.

"Ten survivors, twelve with us."

His head tilted.

"Unknown, the girl has no knowledge of this world, it feels wrong, dark secrets lurk beneath the ground."

He grunted again.

"Target lives, his cargo, scattered across the sands, mission objectives are no longer a possibility, the girl advises we abort and flee."

Riddick snarled.

"The girl concedes this might be an impossibility as well."

Riddick turned his head, trying to take in as much of his surroundings as he could through the hole in his blindfold.

River picked up his thoughts, "Dislocation, painful but necessary."

Riddick smirked.

"Must be patient, must listen for the whispers to fade away, they come now to gaze at the zoo."

"Fry we got any water on this boat?" Johns asked her.

"Only what we can scourge from what's left of the passenger cargo."

"Have to send a scouting party out," Johns gaze followed the pilot's which rested on his two prisoners.

"And what about them, we just leave 'em locked up forever?"

"That would be my choice."

"Are they really that dangerous?" She asked eyeing the pair nervously.

"Only around humans." Johns smirked, "Takin' 'em both back to the Slam, that's Richard B. Riddick, murderer, left a trail of blood 'cross the 'verse, girl's his partner, River Tam some kind of hacker, don't let her size fool you either, she's just as dangerous."

"We could all die out here, we need every hand we can get, don't you think they'd be willing to cooperate to get off this rock alive."

Johns laughed, it was a bitter sound, "Fry they get out of the chains only people leaving this rock alive will be 'em."

River giggled. "Secrets, secrets, the world will come undone by secrets, the pilot has her secrets, the devil has his secrets, and the girl carries them all." Johns stormed over and jammed the bit back into her mouth. Fry did not protest, something in the girl's laugh and the man's responding growl chilled her to her core.

"Miss Fry." River looked up at the voice, though she was blindfolded she knew it was the Target.

"What is it Paris?" Fry asked, glad for a reason to leave the prisoners.

"There seems to be an issue with my cargo container."

Fry pushed past him and back out into the sunlight before answering him, "And what would that be, besides the fact that it crash landed on this hellhole?" She snapped.

"Everything is gone, that was my private property I'll have you know, worth thousands, and every damn piece of it is gone save some alcohol." He was impatiently tapping his foot.

"And?"

"I'll be expecting full compensation for my missing items, I was assured by the company that my items would be safe."

"Goddamn it! Are you fucking serious?" Fry asked him.

Startled Paris smoothed down his shirt, "Extremely."

"Yeah well then add your fucking booze to the list 'cause it looks like that's all we got to drink on this rock." She snapped before storming away.

"Well…" Paris said to the air, before following behind the pilot, "teaches me for flying coach." ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Riddick stretched his senses out, assured it was clear, he rose to his feet. A gruesome popping sound echoing throughout the small room as he brought his arms up and over his head, passing the chain through a small break in the beam. Free, he flexed, popping his shoulders back into place. The bit was the first thing to go, followed by the blindfold he then pulled his goggles back up to shield his eyes. Riddick carefully removed the bit from River's mouth and then her blindfold, his large hand gently touching the side of her face with Johns mark on it. He growled, fucking merc.

"My Riddick may take his payment in time, but his girl desires her freedom as well."

"Gotta find somethin' to cut through the chains." Riddick looked around and spotting a plasma torch, he freed River and then handed her the torch to cut his. )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

"FUCK!" Johns roared throwing the two pairs of broken shackles back into the dust.

* * *

"He get your boot shivs?" Riddick asked River.

"Affirmative, the girl is weaponless, though termination of anyone at this point is detrimental." River answered scanning the horizon.

Riddick grunted.

"Survival is best achieved through numbers."

"Your opinion," He snorted, "Trees," he nodded off into the distance, "Trees mean water."

It was River's turn to snort, "Nothing but bones and dust."

Riddick squinted, "Fucking suns," he swore, "It's a graveyard?"

"Affirmative, but even bones have their uses."

"Feel better with a shiv in my hand."

"No killing." River fixed him with a hard glare.

Riddick chuckled and put his hands up, "Promise girl, Big Bad will behave, no killin'," he shrugged, "unless one of those fuckers needs it." River rolled her eyes. )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

"Ain't a single one of you got any gorram weapons?" John bitched when all they had managed to come up with was a pile of broken metal bars.

"If the company had kept their promises I would have had some." Paris snorted, "Antiques of course, but weapons none the less." He complained. "Got these off of 'em when I tied 'em up before,"

Johns tossed an arm load of shivs onto the pile of broken bars, "Girl had these," he handed one of River's handguns to Zeke and the other to Fry.

"Begs a question," Shazza interrupted, "How in the bloody hell did they get on the ship? They weren't passengers."

"Came lookin' for me suppose," Johns pointed to the fresh cut on his face, "Girl left me to die in a jungle on Greenfall, gave the cats somethin' to smell, her man, he reopened it when they ripped me outta my locker right 'fore the crash."

"Well they're free now, why would they even bother with us?" Paris asked.

"Maybe just to take what you got, or maybe just to skull fuck you in your sleep, could have killed me right there, but they didn't, it's all a fucking game to them, whose the better killer."

"And what 'iffin' we don't want to play?" Zeke asked, checking the clip in the gun Johns had given him.

"Ain't you whose playin', you're all just the pieces."

* * *

"Whole fuckin' planet's dead ain't it?" Riddick asked resting his back against a large rib cage.

River tossed him a smooth flat stone, "There are whispers," she said placing one hand into the dust, "one just needs to look deeper to hear them."

"Those ain't termite spires are they?"

River shook her head ominously, "Your girl does not believe so."

"Believe?" Riddick quirked an eyebrow, scraping a piece of bone against the stone, "Thought you knew it all girl."

"Your girl is not infallible." She answered, pressing her other hand into the dust, "They stalk the darkness, and see without seeing, all of this world lies beneath the dust. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, we all fall down."

"Bein' creepy girl."

River let out a sigh, "She cannot help it," she answered, plopping back down into the dust in front of him.

"Kinda like creepy myself." Riddick smirked, "Too far away girl," he spread his legs and motioned for her to sit between them. River obliged him, smiling, the contact of his skin against hers as she leaned back against him calming her. He continued shaping his shiv, "I'm the biggest and the baddest thing in the dark baby girl, ain't a thing to think on." )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

"Bloody hell," Shazza swore.

"Three suns?" Jack asked incredulously.

"Well so much for your nightfall," Zeke said looking at Fry.

"So much for my cocktail hour," Paris remarked.

"We take this as a good sign," Imam appeared from the other side of the ship, "Blue sun means blue water."

"Ain't a good sign, that's their direction," Johns scowled.

"Thought you said you found the restraints near sunset," Fry asked.

"Means they went towards sunrise," Johns snorted, "like chess, distract your opponent and when their focus is diverted elsewhere, move in for the kill."

"Day or night, killers or no, we need water, sunset was the direction we landed in, wasn't a drop that way, sunrise is the way we head." Fry said, "Zeke got that gun?" "Yeah, ain't leavin' it out of my sight, why you leavin' too?"

"Yeah, just get my crewies buried, they were good men who died bad."

"A 'course we will," Shazza answered coming up behind Zeke and resting a hand on his shoulder.

"Got a full clip in there," Johns told Zeke and tossed him one of the extra ones River had been carrying, "take this too, you see 'em, either one, shoot."

"And what if they see us first?" Paris asked nervously scanning the horizon.

Johns smirked, "Won't be no shots."

* * *

"You were on a pilgrimage?" Fry asked Imam, sick of the silence as they walked, or more truthfully sick of her own guilty thoughts.

"Chrislam teaches that once in every lifetime there should be a great hajj, a great pilgrimage. To know God better, yes, but to know yourself as well."

"That's frightening," she answered, in the last six hours she'd gotten too good a look at herself, didn't like a thing she had seen either.

"We are all on the same hajj now." He reassured her.

Fry merely nodded, regretting beginning the conversation at all, if she were to die right now, she was pretty sure she'd be going to hell, but then again, she was kinda there already. "What do you see?" She asked catching up to Johns who was scanning the horizon with his scope.

"Tell me that ain't a mirage." He asked handing them off to her.

"Trees?"

"Trees mean water," he answered her, but added silently to himself, and water means the psycho-fuck twins. ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

"They are coming." River looked up at Riddick still nestled between his arms and legs.

Riddick blew the dust from his newly finished shiv. "We double back around them, see what we can scourge up from the crash site without the devil's eyes staring at our backs."

River yawned, the heat from the third sun just as abrasive as the first two, she could feel her pale skin turning pink. "Agreed," she answered turning to nuzzle her face against his chest and listening to the beast purr at her actions.

"Come on baby girl," he said and standing them both up he took her hand and lead her through the graveyard.

"They didn't just die you know," River said absently, running her fingers along a sun bleached bone.

"Yeah, kinda figured that." Riddick grunted,

"Whatever's down there," he gestured toward the ground with his head, "it's what got 'em ain't it."

River nodded, "The girl believes so."

"Suns go down eventually." Riddick said more curious as to what would happen when the dyin' started then afraid of it.

"We all fall down."

* * *

"Comfy up there?" Zeke yelled to Paris who was lounged out on top of the wreckage of a cargo container, as he loaded a makeshift sled with a tarp and pick axe, he had found among what was left of his and his wife's gear.

"Amazing how you can do without the essentials of life, so long as you have the little luxuries." He answered leaning back and taking a sip from a bottle of sherry.

"Well, just keep your bloody-fuckin' eyes open. Don't want that rat bag sneakin' up on me bloody-fuckin' arse." He snapped as he began to drag the sled out toward the spired hills, muttering as he went about pansy arsed Core bred boys.

Paris made a face at Zeke's back, taking another sip of his sherry. He froze mid sip as warm metal pressed against his neck.

"They'd probably get you right here, right under the jaw. And you'd never hear 'em coming. That's how good they are." Jack smirked, as she eased her shiv, that had once been one of the killers, away from his neck. She'd assumed it had been the girl's, River she thought she'd heard Johns say. She would have given anything to be like her, strong and unafraid, if she was more like her she wouldn't have to go around pretending to be a boy.

"Tell me something, did you run away from your parents or did they run away from you?" "Fuck you." She snapped, before turning to hop down from the wreckage, if Riddick was goin' to kill any of them she'd hoped it would be Paris first, fuckin' Core bred dickwad.

* * *

"You know, I woulda played road dog for these guys. You could've stayed back. Pro'bly should've, 'iffin' we don't find water…" Johns trailed off.

"No, I needed to get away." Fry let her gaze wander.

"Ain't never seen a captain quite so ready to leave her ship." He smirked, and thinking about the _gou shi _(shit) the girl had been spewing 'fore they'd gone down, added, "What'd Owens mean, 'bout not touching the switch?"

Fry studied him for a few moments before answering, trying to decide whether or not she could trust the man.

"Hey, you can tell me, Carolyn, might die out here anyways, might as well go with a clean conscious.

"Promise me," she looked at him.

"You see anybody else here? Just between you and me." He smiled reassuringly, a blatant lie.

"During the landing, when things were at their worst...Owens was at his best," she paused deciding to finally, really come clean, "he's the one who wouldn't let the pilot dump the passenger cabin."

Johns blinked, stunned. _"Are you shittin' me?"_

"So now you know," she said feeling relieved.

"Fuck." Johns took a swig from the whiskey bottle he'd carried there, "Guess I'm more glad to be here than I thought." He offered it to her.

"Prolly shouldn't, just dehydrate me more." She took a swig.

"I woulda dumped us too." Johns took the bottle back and downed another swig himself. What was it Tam had said? Purge the dead weight and the pilots will fly free? Interesting.

* * *

Paris' head whipped up from his bottle of sherry. "Jack it's not bloody funny boy!" There was no reply. "Jack?" Nervously he grabbed for the metal bar he'd brought up with him, "Jack?" He called out again, an obvious quiver to his voice. "If I had an apartment in hell and I owned this bloody rock, I'd rent this place out and live in hell." He muttered to himself scrambling down, he ran toward the remnants of the ship.

"Tell me that was you boy!" He demanded.

Shazza shut off her cutting torch and flipped up her mask looking down at Jack, "Boy's been with me the entire time what in the bloody hell are you goin' on about?" She snapped, annoyed everyone but the Core bred pansy arse was doin' their part.

"Th-that wasn't you?"

The trio all jumped in unison as a shadow moved past a crack in the hull, Jack peeked through, "RIDDICK!" She mouthed silently.

Shazza motioned for Jack to toss her the shiv, and pressed herself flat against the wall.

"NO!" Jack yelled, stopping Shazza a second before she slammed the blade into the man's throat.

"My god… I … I… thought I was the only one," the left side of his face was badly burned, and he stumbled forward slightly as he spoke.

The sound of a gunshot ripped through Shazza's mind as blood splattered across her face and body.

"Why?" Jack screamed at Zeke, "He was just another survivor for fuck's sake!"

"I… bloody hell I thought it was that bastard Riddick, I didn't know…"

* * *

Riddick sat in the chair Paris had occupied moments before, River snuggled into his lap, he bit the cork off a fresh bottle of sherry and offered the bottle to her before taking a drink himself.

"Will only dehydrate us further," River remarked after taking a generous gulp.

"Better than nothin'," Riddick grunted taking his own gulp.

"Your girl prefers whiskey," she complained.

Riddick smirked, "Can we kill the target? We're bein' paid to kill that one, and you were the one goin' on and on 'bout profitable employment."

River shook her head, "It is disadvantageous to make ourselves seem dangerous, the devil plays his part well enough, we may need them."

Riddick scowled, "Ain't need nobody but me."

She ran her fingertips down the back of his skull, "He will be the source of his own demise, he is panicky and fearful, makes him unwise, you will see, your girl is always right." She kissed his forehead.

Riddick purred, and nuzzled the mark Johns had left on his girl's face, Johns was goin' die for that, he didn't give a fuck what River said, Johns was already dead, fucker just didn't know it yet. River let out a sigh, picking up her Riddick's thoughts as he made no attempt to conceal them. "Grave digger grabbed a bottle of whiskey."

River perked up at this, "It would please your girl greatly."

Riddick chuckled, "Come on' then girl, up." He swatted her thigh and she giggled, hopping down from his lap and somersaulting down from the wreckage.

"Show off." Riddick smirked.

* * *

**Endnote: Know I'm hopping around a bit, but we've all seen the movie at least a bajillion times, and I've decided to hopefully be able to take this to epic length proportions, where B&B will be coming to a permanent and final close, I hope to make this the first part in a series, and so I'm not really making it a point to get every last one of the details of PB, plus, many, many, many, many things about the storyline of PB are about to be forever and irrevocably changed.**

**Ps-know I said I'd alternate between B&B and Partners, and this is the second Partners in a row, but my life is seriously a mess at the moment and writing Partners is much more fun than the emotional hurricane B&B has turned itself into, not abandoning it I SWEAR, just working on what makes me feel better right now. Hope you all understand. **

'_**Til After Now.**_


	6. Chapter 6

**A/n: **

**Celticicegoddess: thanks for the luv and support momma, much appreciated :) I wasn't a big fan of CoR either, just seemed like it should have been done differently, lots of potential, poor delivery, throwing River in the mix will give you lots of opportunity for rewrites, especially interesting to see how the elemental will react to her presence. Lots of luck girlie, may inspiration rain down on you.**

**Sabrina1204: I thought the switch from Riddick to River was a natural change for Jack and don't worry Jack is safe lol. Thanks for the support too momma, I think I'll just take your advice and think, "hmmm, what would River do?" but I don't think killin' people with my brain is valid solution though at the moment it seems grossly satisfying. LoL. **

**Carcrafter7: You don't have to worry, Carolyn is vital to the story, I'm not a big fan of hers but she was just a person, not good or bad, just a flawed person, she'll remain key for several scenes but whether or not her ending will stay the same remains to be seen. **

**Don't own a thing….. just killin time til my imaginary friends start talking to me again**

**))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))**

After killing the man the only thing Zeke could think to do was load him into the sled and bury him along with the crew members. He wasn't unfeeling, he was a realist, he'd killed a man, it wasn't the first time, it might not be the last, fact of it was they were stranded on a desert planet with two bloody _feng le_ (insane) killers, he wasn't going to feel guilty about trying to protect Shazza, even if he had been wrong.

"Bloody hell." He swore to himself when he reached the hole, the bodies had gone. "What in the hell…" he muttered bending down for a closer look, there was a burrow of some kind.

River and Riddick silently crept out from behind the spires, it took a moment for Riddick to realize River had stopped following, he jerked his head around to see what was holding her up.

Zeke shined his light into the burrow, pushing away the loose sand.

River felt the sudden rush below her feet, there was no thought, just a rush of wind beneath her boots, and then she felt it, fear, overwhelming and consuming, and it was not her own, but Zeke's.

Three gun shots sounded from beneath the dust, and Zeke's pain tore through her like a hot shiv, River opened her mouth and screamed.

Seconds before his girl started screaming Riddick sensed the changed in her, the sudden and abrupt stiffness in her posture, the moment her head tilted and her eyes glazed over he knew something was coming, he however was not prepared for the dual screams which began and ended on exactly the same cue.

"Zeke!" Shazza shrieked, and dropping the plasma torch she took off at a run reaching the hole in time to watch Riddick stand. "You bloody fucking murdered!" She screeched, throwing her shiv and missing by a mile.

Riddick did not wait around to explain nor hesitant to sweep his still trembling girl up into her arms and take off at a run. River was sobbing hysterically, her face buried in his shoulder, his beast snarling in a mixture of anger and confusion. His girl had just given them up, he should have been fucking pissed, anyone else he would have slit their throat without a second breath, but this was River, and thus far he'd never seen the girl do more than giggle, he hadn't honestly thought her capable of crying, let alone hysterical sobs. He needed to get her someplace safe and then find out what in the gorram hell had just happened. He'd assumed whatever it was that had gotten the beasts in the bone yard was what had gotten Zeke, what he wanted to know was why his girl was screaming like it'd been her bein' eaten.

His thoughts were so fixated around the sobbing girl in his arms, he missed the whiff of morphine and piss that should have alerted him to Johns' presence. Riddick felt the baton slam into his legs and he tripped dropping River hard to the ground, he rolled at the last second to avoid crushing her, only to leave himself exposed to the torrent of blows coming from both Shazza and Johns.

He caught Johns' foot and twisted, bringing him down to the ground with him, but Shazza planted her boot hard into his ribs knocking the little air he had left in his lungs, followed by a punch to his jaw and he lost his grip on Johns. Later he would think to himself that the woman had potential. "What'd you do with 'im? You bloody sick animal you, what'dja do with me Zeke?" She screamed.

"Fuck!" He roared, as his goggles were torn from his face and his world was ruptured by the searing daylight.

River had gotten a glimpse of the monsters through Zeke's mind, blood and hunger and darkness, the creatures thought like Reavers and instantly she was thrown back into Miranda her mind flooding with memories of death and torture. Vaguely, she heard her Riddick scream and she forced herself to focus.

"That's enough!" Carolyn screamed, grabbing Shazza and hauling her away, "Goddamn it Johns, I said that's enough!"

Johns looked up at her and planted one more good kick into the side of Riddick's head knocking him unconscious. "Same fucking crap different fucking planet," he spat out, his eyes resting on the Tam girl who was still huddled in a ball sobbing in the dust. He walked over and picked her up by her hair.

"What the fuck Johns?" Jack snapped at him, "Fry said enough!"

"You got a problem boy?" Johns snapped, "'Cause I just saved your ass from a fucking shiv in your sleep." He slapped a pair of shackles onto River's wrists, believing now more than ever the girl was a fucking crazy.

River saw her Riddick's prone form but it did not register, nothing did, their thoughts were all a confused tangle of fear and hatred, a never ending onslaught of crimson. She felt the metal of the cuffs, but did not realize she had been chained, did not realize they were being moved.

"What the fuck happened out there? Where's Zeke?" Fry demanded.

River looked up, vaguely she realized someone was speaking to her, but she could not interpret the words, "Whispers, they whisper but it screams, they are hunger and never satisfied, they know nothing but survival, hunt, kill, feed, hunt, kill, feed, hunt, kill, feed, they scream it endlessly, I hear them all and it is nothing but whispers, but the whispers scream and the girl cannot make them out." She herself spoke it in a whisper, without realizing the thoughts were coming out loud, "They bit the hand that fed them, opened a hole into their world and they crept out, creatures of the night in a world of three suns, the girl does not belong here, the girl does not belong here!" She sobbed.

"Fucking crazy bitch," Johns spat out shoving her down onto the grating of what was once the cockpit of the ship, he rigged a system of chains and pulleys, shackling them so they were back to back, with a foot of empty space between them, the chains forcing them both to stand, River's feet barely touched the ground.

"It's your fault she's talking in riddles, you've hurt her Johns!" Jack accused, glaring at him.

"Ain't nothin' new, that's how she gets into your fucking head is all."

"Jack get your arse out of here, ain't a place for kids." Shazza snapped, clenching and unclenching her fist around the shiv she carried in her hand.

"Ain't a kid!" Jack shot back.

"GO!" Shazza, Johns, and Carolyn yelled in unison.

Jack steadfastly refused to leave, "Ain't even a body left, what could they have done with it that fast? She said she heard somethin', we should listen," she argued.

"Everybody out!" Carolyn snapped, "We'll talk outside, be awhile 'fore Riddick wakes back up anyhow and we won't get anythin' straight from the girl."

"Her name's River." Jack snapped.

"What we all buddies now boy? 'Iffin' you haven't fucking noticed they just killed a man." Johns grabbed her by her collar and forced her out.

"You too Shazza." Carolyn leveled her gaze on the grieving woman.

"We should kill the bloody fuckers now, why give 'em another chance?" Her face was hard.

"Out." Carolyn ordered waiting for the new widow to leave before following, the sounds of the Crislam prayers which drifted to her more ominous than comforting.

* * *

"Where the hell are you going now?" Johns demanded as Fry stomped past him.

"To the fucking grave Johns where else?"

"Why the fuck for?"

"To find a gorram body!" She snapped back over her shoulder as Johns ran to catch up, "God you're a cop, don't know why I have to explain this shit to you."

Fry had to choke back the bile which rose up in her throat at the sight of the grave, not only did she not want Johns to think her weak for throwing up, but also and more importantly she didn't think she could afford to lose the water. Blood marred the golden orange sand, grip marks could be seen around the edges of a small hole in the bottom of the grave. What had the girl said about opening a hole?

"He used that?" Fry asked Johns who was flipping a bone shiv across his fingers.

"Sir-Shiv-A lot. He likes to cut, thinks guns make it less intimate."

Carolyn shuddered, "So why isn't it all bloody?"

"I assume he licked it clean."

"You can't be serious."

"He's a fucking animal Carolyn, the Tam girl too, the sooner you realize that the safer we'll all be, thought survival was top on your list." He said taking a step closer to her.

"Could be somethin' else down there Johns, somethin' worse than him." She answered, stung by his accusation.

"Any reason you're so eager to jump on his side, didn't hear you defend the girl, you got a thing for bad boys Carolyn?" He asked smirking as he took another step closer.

"Fuck you Johns." Fry moved to turn away and head back to the ship but Johns grabbed a hold of her arm.

"Just so you know, the girl knows your secret."

Carolyn tried to pull herself free, anger setting her features hard, "You fucking dick, you promised goddamn it!"

Johns kept his grip, "Ain't tell her shit, when they yanked me outta that locker, right 'fore we crashed, girl started yellin' 'bout the pilot wanting to dump the dead weight and fly free."

Carolyn stood slack jawed and stopped trying to pull herself free, "Wh-what do you mean?"

"Games Carolyn, it's all just another game, they kill Zeke stash the body and play stupid just to get into our heads, make us paranoid, make us question each other and what's out there. Ain't nothin' else out there Carolyn, just us and them, choose your side girl, one will get ya dead." Johns released his grip on her arm and started walking away, he paused and called over his shoulder, "And so you know, it won't be quick, ain't no fun in quick for them Carolyn, animals or humans girl, choose your side."

"And what about the camp Johns?" She asked him running to catch up, "What happened to them?"

"Water dried up, funding dried up, found the planet was useless, take your pick Carolyn, shit in that camp is more than twenty years old, rock's been dead for a long time, ain't nothin' here but us."

Carolyn wasn't at all reassured by Johns' words, something was wrong here, and it was her fault they were all stuck in this hell. Only two people knew what really happened and the thought of confronting them over it scared her shitless.

Riddick intrigued her, and that was precisely what scared her shitless, the girl, she really didn't think the girl could do any harm, she hadn't even fought back when they'd captured them just laid there cryin' and carryin' on about nonsense, screaming whispers? Honestly, she thought in a fair fight she'd drop the twig without blinking, and that was saying somethin' 'cause she had never been much of a fighter, but hell, it looked like a strong breeze could have taken the Tam girl out. Which begged the question, what was a grown man, an escaped con, doing travelling the 'verse with a crazy little girl?

* * *

River was quietly sobbing still, her Riddick had set them free, and yet she had been unable to defend him when he needed her the most. She was not functional, she was not stable, Simon and the crew had been right, the girl would never be healed, she was forever broken. She should have never left the ship, the girl did not belong. She wondered if she should have just turned herself in and let the Academy finish what they had started. There would be no more running, no more dying.

"You still with me baby girl?" A low rumble came from behind her.

"The girl is sorry, she has failed her Riddick, if he wishes to leave her, she will not protest, the girl deserves to be left, she is unworthy." Her voice was a barely audible whisper, but Riddick had heard ever word as if she had shouted them.

Leaver her? What the fuck was she talking about? The beast growled, "Ain't leavin' ya girl, told you, you're mine, so we're back in chains, ain't that happy 'bout it, but we got out the first time didn't we?" He smirked even though she could not see it.

"Her Riddick is not angry?" There was an edge of hope in her voice, "He will not leave her?"

"Gonna go shiv happy on the devil's ass, but ain't nothin' in the 'verse could make me leave you or take you from me, even 'iffin' you left on your own, I'd find ya girl, tie you into a chair if I had too."

River managed to giggle at the thought of her Riddick attempting to capture her, it was as ridiculous as the thought of the crew of Serenity attempting to track her down.

"Ain't joking girl," Riddick growled in all seriousness. There was no way in fucking hell River was ever leavin' him, he'd given her the chance to walk away, he'd warned her, and now she was his, 'til death and he wasn't planning on letting her get off that easy either.

"Your girl knows this." She answered.

"Damn fucking better," he growled, forcing himself to calm down so he could ask her what the hell had happened.

"Her Riddick was right, the girl does not know what to do when she cannot read her enemy, she did not see them coming, and then she did, your girl felt it all, his fear, his confusion, his pain, and his death. She can hear them whisper, but she cannot understand the screams."

Riddick, by now, was completely used to and half expected River to pick up on his thoughts, he was actually more than grateful for her little talent as it saved time in a conversation.

"The pilot playing leader wants answers," River said emitting a low growl after adding, "she does not think the girl deserves her Riddick."

Riddick barked out a laugh.

"You girl does not find it amusing." River scowled, and supporting herself by holding onto the chains which wrapped around her wrists, she lifted her legs and kicked back at him, catching him in the back of his knee.

"Fuck girl! What the hell was that for?" He barked.

"The Riddick was thinking about the inferior specimen."

"Aww, girl ain't like that." He chuckled.

River growled low in her throat, while Riddick's beast purred with smug satisfaction, pleased beyond measure his girl could get jealous.

A moment later Fry entered the makeshift prison. "Where's the body?" She demanded, standing in front of Riddick and refusing to acknowledge the Tam girl, she'd had enough of the her ramblings, and the way she saw it, she wasn't much of a threat. Girl had probably been sobbing 'cause she couldn't handle watching Riddick kill Zeke.

Riddick snorted and kept his head low, fuckin' merc had taken his goggles and there was just enough sunlight in the room to give him a fucking headache.

"Answer me," she demanded, and when he refused, "Tell me about the sounds then, the girl said she heard sounds."

Riddick remained silent still.

"Fine, don't answer, but just so you know there's a debate right now about whether or not to leave you to die."

"River," Riddick growled.

"What?" Fry asked.

"Girl's name is River."

"Who gives a shit?" she snapped, annoyed by his correction, annoyed the girl meant something to him, annoyed that it annoyed her that the girl meant something to him. "Just tell me about the sounds Riddick."

Riddick smirked, "I do."

"Do what?"

"Give a shit."

"This is pointless, I don't even know why I tried," Carolyn started to turn away.

"She wants to know about the whispers," River giggled pleased beyond measure.

Riddick chuckled at the memory of the night they had first spoken about the whispers, the first time he had tasted her lips, "Baby girl knows all 'bout the whispers, it's what made me decide to keep her."

"What whispers?" Carolyn took a step closer to Riddick, still ignoring River.

"Go ahead baby girl, tell the pilot wanna be captain 'bout the whispers," Riddick said, forcing Carolyn to acknowledge her.

"The ones that tell you to go for the sweet spot, just to the left of the spine, fourth lumbar down, the abdominal aorta. The ones that tell you to pull the lever Carolyn Joanna Fry." River giggled as she felt Carolyn's shock and horror, "Metallic taste to it, human blood. Coppery. But if you cut it with peppermint schnapps, that goes away. Course, that's more for winter. Summertime, he takes his straight." River let out a low soft giggle, humored by Carolyn's disgust and confident her Riddick would never be interested in such a lowly creature as the pilot, "Kill with a shiv, kill with a lever, does not make a difference Carolyn Joanna Fry, blood is blood, _**MY**_ Riddick would never lie about the blood he spills, but you," she giggled again, "you are weak, Carolyn Joanna Fry, guilt, remorse, fear, hesitation, hesitation is why you're here."

Fry swallowed hard and bit back her anger, wasn't any way the girl could prove what she said, wasn't like Johns was going to side with the psycho bitch, she didn't much appreciate everything she'd been running from since they crashed on this gorram hellhole thrown back in her face, "Done with your little mind fuck now?" She tried to keep an edge in her voice, "How 'bout the truth Riddick?"

"All you people are so scared of us," He snickered, "most days we'd take it as a compliment, ain't us you gotta worry 'bout now."

"Show me your eyes Riddick, I wanna see if you're tellin' me the truth, look at me." She demanded.

River growled low in her throat and Riddick chuckled, "Gotta come a whole lot closer than that girl."

Tentatively Carolyn took a step closer ignoring the steady unnatural growl coming from the girl chained behind the man. She was a foot away and started to lean close, when Riddick suddenly snapped open his eyes and lunged at her. A dark chuckle escaping from his lips as Carolyn practically flew to the other side of the room. "Fuck you Riddick." She snapped.

"Ain't interested Fry, my type wouldn't have jumped." He chuckled.

"Yeah what would your type have done?" Not wanting to admit she was honestly curious.

"Snapped his neck," River answered.

Riddick barked out a laugh, "Could give it a try baby girl, sounds kinky."

"You're both fucking _feng le_," Carolyn said, wide eyed and stepping backwards toward the door, bumping into Jack.

"Where the hell can I get eyes like that?" Jack asked in awe.

"Gotta kill a few people first," Riddick smirked.

"I can do that."

"Then you got to get sent to a slam, where they tell you you'll never see daylight again. You dig up a doctor, and you pay him 20 menthol Kools to do a surgical shine job on your eyes." Riddick rumbled low.

"Liar," River whispered low enough for only Riddick to hear.

"So you can see whose sneakin' up on you in the dark?"

"'Xactly kid," Riddick chuckled. "Like you, other ones can go fuck themselves," he pointedly looked at Carolyn.

"Jack, get outta here," She ordered.

Jack snorted at her, and standing on her toes, tried to see around Riddick, "River okay?"

"The girl is as well as can be expected, she thanks you for your concern." River answered her, craning her neck around to see. The girl pretending to be the boy was the only one among the survivors who was not afraid, and River appreciated her presence as she did her Riddick's for the calm it brought to her. Curiously, River reached out and touched the girl's mind, repressing the urge to shudder at what she saw. Grabbing, evil, dirty hands, foul breath, skin that never washed clean. Instantly, River was enraged, he had stolen from her, beat her, broken her, hurt her in ways that were unspeakable. River vowed to herself she would protect the girl, she would make her strong, teach her broken girls can be restored.

Carolyn rolled her eyes, she'd been completely out of her mind for even trying to get the truth, Johns had been right, or at least partially so, she realized now. "Where's his goddamn body? Shazza deserves at least somethin' to bury."

"The girl would like it to be known the digging of holes should be rethought." River answered.

"Have we killed a few people? Sure, did we kill Zeke? No, got the wrong killers." Riddick smirked.

"He's not in the hole we looked," She pushed.

"Look deeper," River answered, "Opened a hole into their world, tempted them to the door with blood, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, even the suns fall down," River chuckled not sure where her words had come from.

"Sure she's okay?" Jack asked.

Riddick barked out a laugh, "Yeah kid, she just talks like that, ya get used to it."

River herself wasn't so sure.

* * *

_Twenty minutes later…._

"The devil wishes to deal," River whispered to Riddick.

"Figured he would, still gonna kill 'em."

"His continued existence is a threat to our survival."

"And the target too."

"Payment will not be received."

"Here anyway," Riddick would have shrugged, but his arms being chained above his head prevented that.

"Valid." River acknowledged, "My Riddick will not harm the girl pretending to be a boy."

"Jack? Thought the kid smelled off, smart though, less likely to be fucked with that way."

"Your girl has vowed to protect her Jack."

"_Her_ Jack, you wanna say that again baby girl?" He growled.

"He has heard, repetition is irksome."

"Ain't takin' her on."

"The girl is not asking, she is telling."

Riddick snarled.

"Be still," she snapped at him, "the devil approaches."

"Found somethin' worse than us I take it Billy-boy," Riddick inhaled deeply, "Fear Johns, we pissin' ourselves yet?" Riddick growled, still pissed at River and more than willing to let the merc take the brunt of it.

"We're kickin' on, and I'm just wondering 'iffin' I shouldn't lighten the load right now." Johns said leveling his shot gun at Riddick.

"Ain't worth shit dead." Riddick smirked.

"The greedy always fall." Johns chose to ignore River, but she was not offended, it happened often, usually resulting in said person's death, and she did not particularly mind the idea of the devil dying.

Johns pumped out a shot, the chains above their heads exploded and they both dropped to the ground, River letting out a small cry as she fell. "Want you to remember this moment, the both of you, remember the way it could have gone but it didn't."

Riddick shook the ringing out of his ears, "Say that again?"

"Here's the deal. You work without the chains, without the bit, and without fucking shivs, and you help us get the gorram hell off this rock."

"For what, the fucking privilege of me and my girl going back to some asshole of a cell, ain't fuckin' happenin'." He snarled.

"Thing is I'm tired of these fucking games Riddick, too old for this shit." Johns answered lowering his gun.

Riddick snorted, "You'd just cut us loose, five million creds, just let it walk away?"

"Thinkin' you coulda died on this planet, free and clear 'iffin' we both get off this rock alive."

"Liar," River whispered, for Riddick's ears only.

Riddick smirked, "My recommendation Johns: Do me. Don't take the chance that I'll get shiv-happy on your wannabe ass. Ghost me mother fucker. I would if I were you."

"If you were me, I'd kill your girl, then do us both, ready to sit at the big boys table?" Johns smirked and reached out his hand to help Riddick up.

Riddick accepted the hand and as he rose his free hand shot up snatching the shot gun from Johns and turning it on him. River giggled as she pulled herself up onto her feet. Johns held out Riddick's goggles as if they were a peace offering. Neither River or Riddick missed the trembling of his hands as he did so, but the shaking was not from fear.

River moved behind her Riddick, wrapping one arm around his waist and peering out from behind his chest she spoke, "Remember this moment." Riddick emptied the blue shells from the gun and tossed it to the ground, snatching his goggles from Johns' hand, and with a smirk he shoved them on and threw an arm around his girl. "Come on boy," he whistled at Johns', "we getting' off this rock?" River giggled as she felt Johns' fury wash over her.

* * *

"Just the one?" Imam asked Fry as they pulled a power cell from the ship.

"For now, ain't no sense in lugging anymore 'til we know if they're gonna adapt and how many we'll need."

"I rigged a pull sled for everythin' we managed to salvage, found some decent scraps to patch the wings with too since you said the skiff was tore up bad, figured' we could use 'em." Shazza said, "It's heavy as a bitch though, might take three of us to pull it."

"Not three," Johns said, "he'll do it." He pointed his shotgun across the way at Riddick who was standing alone and off to the side with the Tam girl whispering, something that made him entirely uncomfortable, "Make 'im work for his freedom."

"So what, you snap you're bloody fuckin' fingers and the animals are one of us now?" Shazza snapped.

"Least this way I don't have to worry 'bout one of you getting your throat slit while you're sleepin'."

"Bloody beautiful, now we can be awake to watch 'im do it."

"This solves nothing," Imam said, "We are all god's creatures, he did not kill your man, and the girl seems harmless enough, we need to trust in the fact men can change, perhaps with his new freedom he will find new life."

Johns snorted, "Ain't fuckin' likely," he handed Shazza his handgun, "Got the big gauge still, you take this, now don't go shootin' at 'em just cause you're pissed, but if they make one move that makes ya tetchy feel free to take a shot at one of 'em, just nothin' lethal." He smirked. "Like animals, a warning shot will scare 'em."

"Ain't 'xactly a shining example of humanity yourself Johns." Carolyn scoffed.

"Yeah well, look whose fuckin' talkin' _**Captain**_."

* * *

"The devil is a liar." River told Riddick as his fingers gently grazed over the merc's handprint on her face, which she guessed had probably turned a sickly shade of purple by now. She could feel the beast's fury at the mark as subconsciously her Riddick checked to see if _his_ mark on her neck was still visible.

He grunted in response.

"My Riddick must wait, timing is of the most importance, to rid ourselves of him now would arouse suspicion, they believe he is a man of the law, a man of honor and morality, they do not yet know that they are wrong, we must first make them see the truth."

Riddick growled.

River rolled her eyes and let out a sigh, "My Riddick will know when the moment comes."

He grunted again.

"The target will see to his own destruction."

Riddick quirked an eyebrow.

"She has not seen anything, the girl does not function like that, visions are rare and unreliable, it is his thoughts that tell her, he is nervous and afraid, has no wisdom of the ways of survival, runs when he should hide, hides when he should run, they are the people who are always the first to die."

He waited.

"The girl does not know for sure, but the darkness will come, the light is weary, a cycle is nearing completion."

Both of their heads jerked up at the sound of a whistle, "Let's move it," Johns called, "Got a job for you boy."

Riddick looked at River, a low growl in his chest.

"His time will come." She assured him.

"He still thinkin' on you?" Riddick growled, his gaze never leaving Johns.

"Your girl's answer would be counterproductive to ensuring her Riddick's patience and discretion." Riddick snarled, and the beast lashed against its cage eager for a taste of the merc's blood.

"I said move your fucking as!" Johns barked.

"When the time comes baby girl, you lead the others away, ain't no one need to see what's gonna pass 'tween me and him, _dong ma_ (understand me?), not even you." He told her, a part of him afraid she would begin to fear him if she saw what he was truly capable of, the owner of the gun shop was nothing compared to what he had in store for Johns. What Riddick did not realize was River had a beast of her own, she hadn't been born that way, the Academy had created it inside of her, but it existed there all the same, forced into a slumber on Serenity, his presence had slowly started to awaken it, it was a part of what had called her to him and him to her, an animal recognizes its own, but River nodded silently, unwilling to argue the point he didn't need to hide the beast from her, that nothing he could do would make her fear him.

River's gaze searched out the girl pretending to be a boy named Jack, she had the beginnings of a beast inside of her as well, a cub still, but there all the same. It was what had driven River's vow of protection, while Riddick was born as he was Jack and River had been turned from what they had truly been meant to be into what they were today, and an animal without a pack was alone and vulnerable, there was strength and power in numbers, and River knew they would need it and that the girl would need them as well.

* * *

**Endnote: Goin' straight to work on the next update, just wanted to give you guys a little somethin' for today, don't have to work in the morning so mayhap you'll get another before the night is over.**

'_**Til after now.**_


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: You may notice I've bumped up Jack's age a bit, *shrugs* hey it's an AU anyway right?**

**Sabrina1204: Totally agree that CoR felt rushed, and wasn't on par with the lead up of PB, and LOL I love that movie Accepted. Hope you like this update, there's a lot of Riddick, River, n Jack in this one and I hope I got it right.**

**Carcrafter7: I'm so flattered *blushes*. Hope I live up to it.**

**Pyrobabe7713: :D, one more update to go and then the lights go out!**

**Don't own a thing, that's Whedon, Twhoy, and the Wheat brothers thing, they get paid, I get hours of amusement.**

* * *

Johns kept a steady pace, leading the make shift caravan with Carolyn while Imam and his charges struggled, carrying the power cell between them. River would have told them it would have been easier to carry between just two, but their antics as well as the Arabic they chattered back and forth in amused her nearly as much as their religion did, so she kept silent on the matter, and kept close to Riddick though he would not allow her to help bare his burden.

"Muscle, remember?" He'd teased when she had offered, "My girl doesn't do lifting." She didn't bother to point out it wasn't lifting so much as it was pulling and that she could tell the lack of oxygen was beginning to wear on him, she figured he wouldn't appreciate attention being drawn to his struggle, and so she said nothing on that matter as well.

The girl pretending to be a boy named Jack, Shazza, and Paris each carried a pack loaded with various tools and sundries, the target, half drunk from the amount of alcohol he'd consumed in place of water, stumbled considerably over the sandy terrain. River was sure if all else failed he would at least die of dehydration and contented herself with that. Shazza never took more than five steps without looking back over her shoulder, River knew the devil had given her a weapon, and made a mental note to appear as harmless as possible, the woman was itching to avenge her husband, it was unfortunate she believed her Riddick responsible.

The girl pretending to be a boy named Jack wanted to speak to them, but did not believe the pilot nor the devil would allow it, and so River made it a point to smile reassuringly every time the girl glanced back, at least she hoped it was reassuringly, the man named Jayne had pointed out more than once her smile damaged his calm and so she was unsure if she was performing the action correctly. Her Riddick was not damaged by her smile, but Riddick was of a different nature than the fifteen year old girl. Finally the girl seemed to muster her courage, and slowed her pace until she was walking beside River.

Jack was a little pissed no one had even thought to offer Riddick a breather, he was after all the one hauling all the crap they'd need to get of this rock. Johns called a halt to the march for a break, he seemed to need the rest more than any of them which she found strange considerin' the only thing the fucking dick was carrying was his shotgun.

"Here," Jack handed her breather over to River, "It's for you and Riddick."

"The girl would like to thank you, but she does not require it, her Riddick however may find a need for it. He will not bite," River giggled at a flash of the girl's thoughts, "not you anyways."

Jack looked relieved, something in her gut told her that River was telling her the truth, if she said that Riddick wouldn't hurt her, she believed it. "Riddick," her voice cracked slightly and she cursed herself for it.

"Yeah kid," He growled checking over the knots in the makeshift harness.

"Wanted to give you this, offered it to River but she said she didn't need it, should have a couple of hits left in it.

Riddick paused, looking at the offered breather, before he reached for it, unsure of the girl, "What for?"

"Dunno," Jack said, "Guess my way of sayin', hey thanks for playing pack mule." She shrugged.

Riddick smirked and slung the breather over his shoulder, wondering how he'd ever mistaken the girl for a boy. Girl was smart, binding her chest and keeping her hair short, helped that she was tiny, made her look twelve, but when you actually looked at the kid, the absence of an Adam's apple, the slight curve to her hips, the shape of her jaw, it was obvious. "Not so bad girl."

Jack froze, her face paling, nearly jumping as River's small hand touched her shoulder. "The _girl_ named Jack," she said in a whisper, "has nothing to fear, they will keep her secret."

Jack visibly relaxed, looking down and kicking a stone, "Is it obvious?"

"Only to those who look kid," Riddick told her, "ain't got a thing to worry 'bout, nobody ever looks, how else do you think me and my girl get by?"

"Ain't 'xactly as good as you two." She answered.

"Doin' a'right kid," Riddick said feeling generous after a full breath of air.

"Thanks." Jack smirked. "Oh! I almost forgot, nicked these when Johns wasn't lookin'." She swung around so her back was to the others and dug one of River's boot knives, and one of the several shivs Riddick had had stashed on him. "Thought you might want 'em back, sorry I couldn't get all of them, woulda noticed."

Riddick gave the girl a genuine smile, maybe letting the kid hang around wasn't a bad idea after all, girl was all kinds of resourceful.

"The Riddick and his girl are thankful," River said, "Jack may keep the one that is in her boot in payment."

Jack blushed, "How'dja know?"

Riddick laughed, "My girl knows everythin' kid, ask her, she's the brains, I'm just the pack mule."

"Let's move people!" Johns barked suddenly, "Getting' hotter than hell out here and there's water where we're goin'."

"Itchin' for his next hit I guess," Jack complained shooting Johns a glare. River and Riddick both looked at her in surprise, "What?" She shrugged, "Didn't think I noticed? Spend enough time 'round hypes you get to know when one's itchin' and he's itchin' somethin' fierce."

River smiled at her Riddick's thoughts, he was beginning to see value in _her_ Jack and knew it was only a matter of time before she became _their _Jack. Her Riddick was a solitary creature by circumstance not nature, and he was beginning to see the worth behind a pack.

As they started moving again Jack stuck close by River who walked between her and Riddick, none of the unlikely trio felt the need to break the comfortable silence until Jack stumbled and lost her footing as they passed through the bone yard.

Riddick was the one to help her back up to her feet, "Give me your pack," he grunted and taking it from her he added it to his load on the sled.

"Thanks." Jack said, her voice warm with gratitude, she hadn't wanted to admit she'd been fading fast.

Riddick grunted again in response.

River giggled, "In Riddick speak that means you are welcome or please do not think on it." Jack laughed in response, "You will learn to translate it." River let the vague suggestion of Jack remaining with them hang in the air, listening to the pair's reactions in their minds. Riddick, fully aware River was listening refused to acknowledge it at all, while Jack who was still unaware of River's abilities was nearly screaming with excitement, while wondering if she had actually meant what she had said or if she was just referring to while they were on this particular rock. Jack prayed it was the former and not the latter. Though she did slightly question her own sanity at being excited over travelling the 'verse with a pair of killers, but who was she to judge. Only difference between her and them was the '_S'_ at the end of the word.

Paris stumbled ahead of them, a bottle of Shiraz falling from his makeshift sack, he went after it, horrified as it rolled to a stop at Riddick's feet. "Um, yes, well hello, I don't believe we've officially meant," he half stuttered as Riddick bent down to uncork the bottle, "Paris P. Ogilvie, antiquities dealer, entrepreneur." He held out a tentative hand, almost afraid the man would bite it off.

Riddick smirked, and passed the opened bottle to Jack, unsure 'iffin' anyone had let the girl have a drink yet, considerin' it was booze, "Richard B. Riddick, escaped convict, murderer." He shook Paris' hand smirking even wider as the man flinched in his grip.

Jack took a long gulp from the bottle gratefully and passed it off to River.

"My girl," Riddick gestured with a nod of his head.

River took a long swig as well, smiling she passed the bottle to Riddick, "River M. Tam, escaped government experiment, assassin." River and Jack both laughed at Paris' wide eyed expression while Riddick killed off the bottle of Shiraz.

"Good year," he smirked as he tossed it over his shoulder.

"Yes, well…" Paris quickly caught back up with the rest of the group.

River and Riddick exchanged an amused glance, and Jack realizing she was missing something asked, "What?"

Riddick smirked, "Johns wasn't the one we was on the HG to kill, he was just a bonus." River was surprised her Riddick had revealed that information to _her_ Jack, until she realized that he was testing her reaction.

The wheels clicked in Jack's head and she let out a snort of amusement herself.

"What's so funny kid?" Riddick quirked an eyebrow, it wasn't the reaction he'd been expecting.

"Earlier I kinda hoped 'iffin' you two really were gonna kill us all you'd snuff out the pansy assed core bred boy first."

Riddick barked out a laugh, girl was full of surprises.

* * *

"I mean, usually I can appreciate antiques, but this thing," Paris made a face as he took another sip out of his seemingly endless supply of bottles.

"Ain't nothin' we can't fix 'iffin' we can adapt the power supply." Fry grunted trying to lug the power cell aboard the small skiff.

"Not a star-jumper," Shazza remarked eyeing the tattered wings.

"Doesn't have to be," Riddick grunted, shrugging off the harness, "use this to get back out into the Sol-Track Shipping Lanes, and stick out a thumb."

Fry glanced nervously at Johns, thinking to herself, _fuck, how did he know that_? "Um, a little help here," she said pointedly looking at him.

Riddick walked over, but Johns prevented him from picking up the cell by stepping in front of it, "Why don't you take crazy over there and check out those containers, see if there's anything to patch up those wings with."

Riddick growled, but stepped away motioning with his head for River and Jack to follow.

"Imam, why don't you and your boys get to work on that well," Johns wanted them out of earshot for what he had to say, "Shazza, Fry and me will see 'bout getting the power supply switched over." He needed Fry, she was a pilot, and Shazza was just itchin' for an excuse to shoot the killers, he could use that too.

Shazza nodded and followed Carolyn onto the skiff, and the pilgrims needed no further urging as they had been without anything to drink since before the HG had taken off. Johns waited until Riddick and his followers had disappeared into a building before joining the two women inside the skiff.

* * *

"That should do for a system's check," Carolyn told Shazza and Johns who hovered over her shoulders, "but no way in hell it's enough to fly."

"How many?" Johns asked.

"Fifteen six gigs here, ninety total, other ship carries twenty gig cells, so…" She ran the numbers in her head, "five total to launch."

"How much they weigh?" Shazza asked skeptically.

"Twenty five kilos each."

Johns let out a whistle.

"Old sand cat outside, might be able to git it movin' 'gain." Shazza told them.

"Good, and if you need an extra hand," Johns said looking out the skiff's windshield, "where'd our problem children go?"

* * *

The trio in question had made their way through most of the settlement, the same comfortable silence which they had settled into on the hike to the settlement falling over them once more as they searched.

"Ain't right." Jack finally said, as they walked through what was once a mess hall, plates and trays still littered the table, remnants of long molded food stick stuck in dirty pots and pans.

"Sure as hell ain't kid," Riddick rumbled as he picked up piece of what he was sure was a human bone.

River ran her fingers over the destroyed doorframe, a vision tore through her mind and she recoiled backwards tripping over a chair falling.

Riddick was by her side instantly, "Talk to me girl," he growled low, noting the glazed look in her eyes.

"They are hunger and are never satisfied."

"What does she mean?" Jack asked cursing at the tremble in her voice.

"Means people here didn't just up and leave girl."

"How does she know?"

River turned her gaze on Jack, "The girl knows, she is a reader, everything leaves behind a whisper." Anxiously she touched the girl's mind, afraid the girl would fear her now.

Jack quirked an eyebrow, "You're shittin' me right?" She looked at Riddick for conformation, he nodded. "Huh, well that explain's how you knew. Do me a favor, don't know 'iffin' you can help readin' me or what not, but 'iffin' you could keep certain things you pick up to yourself, I mean don't even tell me you know 'em."

River smiled, "The girl will do her best, sometimes she cannot help it, sometimes the flow of the River cannot be stemmed."

"Is that why you didn't sell me out, somethin' you saw?" Jack asked nervously.

River walked over to where Jack was standing and tilted her forehead, pressing it against Jack's and gently holding their heads together she whispered, "He stole from you, what he took was not his, he hurt you, because he thought you could not fight back, but you did," Jack bit back hard against the tears which threatened her, "do not wear his blood as guilt and shame, _don't cry for him, don't you dare cry __for him_." She snarled in a very Riddick like fashion, "He broke the girl named _Audrey_, you rebuilt her into the boy named Jack, this girl has rebuilt herself as well, this girl only wishes to show her that she can be the _girl named Jack_, she can be strong, so no one can hurt her again, so no one may _**cage**_ her again. Your secrets are your own, the girl will not speak on them until you call their names to your tongue. They stole from us, we will take what we please, they killed a part of us, will not hesitate to kill, we will look out for only ourselves and our own. _Dong ma_ (understand me?)

"_Dong wo_ (I understand.)" Jack said straightening herself, wiping furiously at her eyes, a new sense of strength washing over her.

Riddick watched the scene unravel in front of him, quickly realizing he was fucked he repressed the urge to growl. Ain't no way he was goin' to be able to ditch the kid now, while he didn't actually think his girl could kill him, he was positively sure she would give it a hell of a shot if he did. Kid wasn't all bad, he thought, she was smart, able to pull a con, had quick fingers and observant as hell. Could come in useful, least her head wasn't plastered 'cross the 'verse with a bounty, come in real useful 'iffin' they needed to lay low. Was another bunk on the ship, which, fuck, he thought, was probably scattered to a thousand pieces 'cross this asshole of a planet. His nose twitched, he'd caught the scent of blood, and it wasn't River's, discreetly he looked over Jack, no visible injuries. It took a few moments before it dawned on him. Fuck. Riddick did growl this time, but kept it low and to himself, shit just kept getting' worse and worse.

* * *

The Crislam pilgrims cheered as the first few drops of water made their way down the pipette.

* * *

Riddick paused in front of the doors, a glint of light catching his eyes and he knelt down pushing away the sand to reveal a broken hand light.

"Locked from the inside," Jack said after trying the doors, while Riddick pulled away a tarp, revealing the words "CORING ROOM."

"An advance team," he said more to himself then either girl, "geologists."

River slowly backed away, unnerved by the echoes of whispers which screamed to her through the heavy doors. Jack followed her example, trusting the fact a Reader knew when to back the fuck away from something, while Riddick leaned in, trying to peer through a filthy window.

"Hey!" Johns snapped, "Missin' the party c'mon folks!"

Riddick growled.

"Patience," River reminded him wrapping her hand in his, and eyeing the coring room with trepidation, something was wrong about that building, very, very wrong.

* * *

"…And for this, this gift of water we give thanks in the name of our Prophet, Muhammad, peace be upon him, and to our Lord, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and to his Father, Allah, the Compassionate and the Merciful." Imam prayed over a tray of crystal goblets filled with water.

"Never did understand a fuck 'bout that religion," Riddick smirked as he followed _his_ girls in and leaned against the doorframe.

River smirked, "Neither do they."

"Perhaps we should toast to our hosts? Who were they anyway? Miners?" Paris asked making a face at the cloudy water.

"Geologists, an advanced team, move from rock to rock." Shazza answered, confirming what Riddick had thought.

"Crapped out here," Johns mock toasted his glass.

"Why'd they leave their ship?" Paris asked.

"Just a skiff, disposable really." Johns shrugged.

"Like a life raft?" He asked.

"Sure," Shazza told him, "Coulda had a real drop-ship take 'em off planet long time ago."

Jack laughed, unsure whether or not their ignorance was willful or just plain stupidity, "You really don't think they just up and left with their clothes still on the lines? Photos on the wall?"

"Maybe they had weight limits, you don't know, you can't be sure." Shazza said, a slight tremble to her voice.

"I know you don't prep your emergency vessel if it ain't a fucking emergency," Riddick remarked calmly.

"Rag it Riddick, ain't no one gives a damn 'bout your theories."

"My Riddick is only speaking what you are all thinking and afraid to say," River said absently, letting her fingers run across a row of dust covered microscopes.

"Has anyone seen the young one, Ali?" Imam asked a hint of worry in his voice.

River spun around, knocking a few of the scopes to the ground, "The coring room." It was no more than a whisper.

A scream ripped through the silence, low and in the distance, "Fuck." Jack swore.

The survivors ran for the coring room, "Too late," River whispered and took a seat at the table finishing off someone's abandoned glass of water, Riddick and Jack joined her.

* * *

The blue sun began to rise as the sounds of Crislam prayers echoed through the empty settlement, unnerving Carolyn just as much as the first time she'd heard them when they had lost Zeke.

"Why was the bloody door chained? Why would they lock themselves in like that?" Shazza asked, looking down into the darkened shaft.

"Not sure, but them Crislams better not be digging another goddamn hole out there," he craned his neck to see outside.

"Other buildings weren't secure," Riddick said from the doorframe, blocking out the little sun coming into the room. "so they ran in here," he took a few steps inside, "heaviest doors, thought they'd be safe inside, but…"

"Someone forgot to lock the back door," River finished appearing from behind him.

"Fucking creepy," Carolyn swore, it was becoming entirely unnerving listening to the Tam girl speak, every time she opened her gorram mouth something ominous and creepy came out.

Johns lit a flare and dropped it down into the shaft, the five of them watched it fall, lighting up a pile of human remains.

"That's what happened to me Zeke," Shazza said, looking up at Riddick and River, "and you seen it."

River nodded.

"But you was there to kill him anyway." She accused wanting to be angry at someone.

"Not necessarily, " Riddick shrugged, "My girl just wanted his whiskey, though I noticed he was trying to ghost my ass when he shot that stranger, but that's just an observation, maybe your old man just had a thing for shootin' people in the back."

Shazza looked away, she couldn't deny it, she'd been ready to shoot him down the moment they'd found him too.

"The woman feels remorse." River said sagely, "She wishes to make amends," she turned to look up at Riddick.

Shazza was a little startled that the girl knew that, "Take it." She said stiffly, holding out her breather.

Riddick smirked at the clearly pissed off look on Johns' face and accepted the breather, nodding his head at Shazza who stiffly nodded back. He really didn't give a shit the woman felt bad, but he did enjoy snatchin' someone off the merc's team.

"Let's board this up and get the hell gone, they seem to stick to the darkness, we stay in the light and we'll be fine."

"Twenty two years ago," Carolyn said out loud, looking at a tray of coring samples lain on a work station on the other side of the shaft.

"What?" Johns asked confused.

"Last of the coring samples are dated twenty two years ago this month."

"Yeah, what's so special 'bout that?"

River joined them at the table, feeling the wheel's in Fry's head turn, the woman was taking an excruciatingly long amount of time to work it out, she took pity on the pilot pretending to be captain, "Even the suns fall down." River watched the pieces fall into place in her head, humming to herself as Fry ran from the room.

"What was that about?" Jack asked popping her head in the doorway.

"The darkness comes." River answered.

"Fuck," Jack and Riddick swore in unison and River giggled.

* * *

The remaining survivors watched the year counter flick over to twenty two, plunging the miniature planet into darkness.

"You've gotta be shittin' me." Johns slammed his fist against a wall.

Riddick smirked and turned to walk out of the room, calling over his shoulder, "Hope you ain't scared of the dark."

* * *

Carolyn headed back to the skiff at a jog, Johns chasing after her. "Gonna need those last four cells from the ship," she told him, "Shit, still gotta patch up the wings and test the hull's integrity."

"Let's wait on those cells." Johns told her, grabbing her shoulder to get her to slow down.

"Wait for what? 'Til it's so dark we can't find our way back to the ship?" She snapped, stomping up the ramp.

"Don't know 'iffin' the lights will go out in three hours or three days, could even be three weeks." He said following her up, forcing a fake calm into his voice.

"All the more fucking reason to get the cells here and get the hell of this rock, just get the gorram cells here, what's the discussion?"

Johns paused, checking out the windshield and looking behind him, making sure no one was listening, "Riddick's a pilot, don't know about the Tam girl, but he's damn good, ain't gonna take the risk of him leaving us on this planet to rot."

"You told me we could trust 'em, said there was a deal. Fuck Johns, shoulda told me he could fly," she said in a harsh whisper.

"That's what I said."

Fry looked at him, the pieces once more falling into place in her head, Johns had no intention of letting River and Riddick go, never had, "Dangerous game your playin' Johns, hope you know what the fuck you're doing."

"They set the rules Carolyn, maybe you haven't noticed but chains don't really work on the psycho-fuck twins, only way we're all getting' off this rock is if they believe they're goin' free, if they think.."

"You mean if they realize you're plannin' on royally fucking them over." She snorted at him.

"Need a fail-safe, just bring the cells at the last possible moment, after the wings are patched and we know we're ready to fly."

"You know they haven't hurt any of us," Carolyn said, seeing Johns in a new light entirely and unsure if she liked what she was seeing. "They haven't even lied to us."

"How'd the girl know the boy was in the coring room Carolyn?" Johns added quickly watering her small seed of doubt, "They're murderers, shit they broke onto the ship to kill me, law says they gotta do their bid."

Carolyn thought it over for a second, the girl seemed to know all sorts of things she shouldn't, how and why had yet to be seen. "Dancin' on razor blades Johns."

"Won't give him the chance to slit another throat," he told her walking off the ship and the moment he was out of her eye line he threw up, bracing himself against the skiff, his body shaking.

"Bad sign shakin' like that in this heat." Riddick rumbled, sitting on crate, he ran a shiv across his scalp, "Long strokes Jack," He grunted, correcting her shiv making technique.

"Thought I said no shivs."

"This?" Riddick asked raising an eyebrow, "This is just a personal grooming appliance, and ain't no one said shit 'bout the kid."

Jack watched out of the corner of her eye as River slipped onto the skiff, the hatch closing behind her.

Riddick took a final swipe over his head watching Johns storm off toward an empty building, "C'mon girl, fucking Crislams ain't goin' be able to patch those wings, let's go play nice to get off this fucking rock."

"What 'bout River?" She asked.

"Ain't nothin' to think on, just wants a few words with our fearless leader, let her know the truth about the side she's takin."

* * *

River waited for the hatch to seal completely and the hull integrity test to begin before making her presence known, "Strange," she remarked.

Carolyn jumped, "Shit, didn't know you were there." She smiled, nervously eyeing the sealed hatch and the countdown until the test was finished.

"Strange not to initiate a run-up on the main power drive," she glanced at the empty cell bay, "inadequate power, a craft this size should require four additional cells. Strange, unless they were afraid. Are you afraid Carolyn? Afraid the girl and her Riddick will fly away and leave you to die?"

"I'm not afraid of some two bit piece of shit hacker little girl." Carolyn snapped, unafraid of doing so only because Riddick was out of ear and eye shot.

River laughed. "Is that what the devil told you?" She asked genuinely amused by how people always seemed to think her harmless. "Tell me Carolyn Joanna Fry," she continued in a whisper, walking closer, "Do you think we should trust him, do you think he is a man of his word?"

"Why?" Fry swallowed nervously.

"Because I know he's not, and I also know he won't kill the girl or her Riddick."

"Whys that?"

"We're worth ten times the amount alive," River giggled at Fry's surprise, "Thought he was a man of the law, shiny badge, blue uniform, secrets, secrets, we all have our secrets and the girl knows every one," she laughed again, "the devil is nothing more than a merc, and the girl and the Riddick, his payday, greed is the creed, he'd shoot you down before he would aim at the girl or her Riddick."

"Fuck you, I'm not gonna let you get in my head like this, he said you'd try, try to turn us against each other."

River shrugged as the hull test completed and the hatch way began to open, she turned to exit, "Owens was a good man, died bad," She said over her shoulder, using Fry's own words, "Ever wonder why the devil shakes like that? The girl knows, but you won't believe her, ask him, ask him why your friend had to die screaming, the girl knows it hurt, she heard his screams long before you did."

* * *

Johns twisted opened a red shot gun shell, loading the hidden ampoules into a syringe; he took a deep breath, and injected it into his eye.

"Who the fuck are you really?" Carolyn demanded from the doorway, fucking girl had been right.

Johns looked up and too stoned to care he'd been found out and leaned against the wall, enjoying his hit.

"Ain't even a cop are you?" She snorted, crossing the room to pick up another red bullet from a small ammo box on the floor next to him.

"Never said I was," he said carelessly.

"Never said you were a fucking hype either," she twisted it open revealing a pair of ampoules.

"You have caffeine in the morning, I have my morphine, who gives a shit."

"Lucky you, you have two goddamn mornings a day," she yelled at him.

"Not a problem unless you're fixin' to make it one." He stood and snatched the box away from her.

"It became a fuckin' problem when you let Owens die like that, got enough shit to put down a fucking mule-team!" She snapped throwing the ampoule in her hand across the room.

"Owens was already fucking dead!" Johns snapped back stepping closer, "His brain just hadn't caught up to the fact."

"Anything else I should know Johns, Jesus Christ I'm lettin' you play these fucking games with our lives!"

Johns snatched her hands from her sides and wrapped them around his back, forcing her closer, "Feel that?" He demanded.

Carolyn shuddered as her fingers ran along a jagged scar.

"First run in with Riddick, he went for that sweet spot he's always goin' on about and missed. They had to leave the tip in there, I can feel it sometimes, pressin' against my spine, so maybe the care and feeding of my nerve endings is my goddamn business." He threw her hands back at her shoving her away.

"You coulda done somethin'." She mumbled quietly rubbing her wrist where he had held it, outside she could hear the Crislams yelling in Arabic and calling for her, she turned to leave.

"Yeah well look to thine own ass first, right _captain_?" He sneered.

Carolyn left, anger and self disgust overwhelming her, fuck she was just like him. "I'm not you fucking captain," she snapped at one of the boys pushing past him to see what all the yelling was about, Johns a step behind her.

All eyes locked onto the luminous arch which had begun to rise over the horizon. River whispered to Jack, "Stay close when the dying starts." Jack nodded without removing her gaze from the quickly rising planet which threatened to kill them all.

"If we need anything from the crash ship I suggest we kick on, sand cat's solar." Shazza said looking at Fry.

That one sentence kicked everyone into action, "Let's get those fucking cells," Fry yelled as they made a break for the sand cat.

"Where's Riddick?" Jack asked River.

"Leave the dog, he'd leave us." Paris bitterly spat out and then jumped as Riddick hopped onto the sand cat right behind him. "Oh hello there, thought we lost you." Paris swallowed hard.

"Wouldn't miss this," He smirked settling himself on the back of the cat next to Jack and motioning for River to take a seat on his lap, one arm twisting around her waist and the other subconsciously moving behind Jack to keep her from falling off. The gesture did not escape River, who smiled to herself and began to hum as she twisted a strand of hair around her finger, nestling her head against his chest.

"Johns!" Shazza yelled, he had been behind them a minute ago.

"Here!" He yelled running out of an empty building, he hopped up onto the cat as Shazza drove past.

* * *

"Allah protect us." Imam whispered, as the rim of the blue planet began to rise on the horizon.

"God ain't here Holy Man and 'iffin he is, he's laughing." Riddick smirked.

"You don't have to believe for him to be with you." Imam defended.

"I absolutely believe," Riddick yelled over the sound of the sand cat speeding through the bone yard, "Just hate the fucker." He said reaching over to pull Jack's head down before it could be taken off by a bone jutting out in their path.

"Thanks," Jack yelled at him, when he released her head.

Riddick grunted.

* * *

**Endnote: Some of you may have caught when Riddick referred to **_**his girls **_**inside his head, and how he made sure Jack followed him and River when they walked off, he doesn't realize it yet but the beast has already made Jack a member of the pack, the man will catch on soon. And so darkness falls…**

'_**Til after now.**_


	8. Chapter 8

**Celticicegoddess: Hope everything is okay with you and yours glad I could make your day a bit better :). We just might hear a little blimp form the crew of Serenity but it all depends on one annoying small story altering detail I have not quite figured out yet lol. Much luv momma keep smiling.**

**Sabrina1204: I dedicate this super long chapter to you for your continued super long super generous and fabulous reviews! By the by you should know me by now lol, having Serenity pick them up would just be too easy lol… I've decided I'm a complete sadist and by the end of this chap you'll catch a peek at just who will be picking up our unfortunate survivors. Enjoy!**

**Unfortunately I do not own a thing except for a sprinkling of original dialogue coming out of characters that are not mine, send all fan mail to Twohy, Whedon, and the Wheat brothers, who by the by should adopt me and then I wouldn't have to worry about these little disclaimers anymore!**

* * *

Bodies were leaping from the sand cat before Shazza had it stopped, Johns and Riddick taking off for the power cell bay, while the Crislams got to work on fashioning another scrap metal sled.

"Where in the bloody hell are you going?" Shazza yelled as Paris took off towards one of the container wrecks.

"Just going to grab a few things, you wouldn't leave without me would you?"

Shazza snorted and backed the sand cat up as close as she could get to the bay. Carolyn, Jack and River stayed watching in morbid fascination as the planet rose quickly. Carolyn jumped as Riddick slammed the first of the power cells onto the sled, flashing Johns a smirk as he bypassed him on the way to get a second. River felt his brief smug satisfaction at being able to carry more weight faster than Johns could and she rolled her eyes.

River looked down at Jack's hand which had found its way into hers as the rings of T1 began blocking out the light from the yellow sun. "Remember," she whispered, just low enough for Jack to hear and the girl nodded in response, she had no intention of leaving River or Riddick's side when the lights went out.

Just as Riddick had dropped the last of the power cells onto the sled a high pitched screeching began to rise from the spired hills not far in the distance. All eight bodies froze, their heads jerking up in unison.

"Oh god," Carolyn moaned as the Crislam boys began frantically wiping away the dust from the sand cats solar collector, the sound of its dying engine echoing in through their minds louder the screeching. The rings of T1 had reached the red sun casting an eerie orange dusk over the desert world.

The spires began to crumble as waves of the creatures took flight, hatchlings squealing in delight at their first ever taste of nightfall.

"Jesus, how many can there be?" Johns whispered, unable to tear away his gaze.

River turned her head to look at Carolyn, "Are you sure of the side you've chosen?" Her gaze drifted back to the never ending stream of creatures rising up from beneath the sand and rock, slowly she began backing away tugging Jack who was still gripping her hand along with her.

One of the hatchling flocks broke away, "Just a suggestion people but I think you should Flee!" Paris screamed from the doorway of the cargo container, his words breaking the trance the survivors had fallen into.

"Fuck!" Shazza screamed kicking the sand cat as she leapt down and took off running, bypassing River and Jack who were a step behind her, Carolyn and Johns were the first to reach the container.

"Imam leave the fucking water behind!" She screamed at the trio of them, the flock was closing in.

"Riddick!" Jack screamed, he had stayed behind to watch the flock rise, mesmerized by their absolute beauty. At the sound one of _his_ girl's voices he turned on heel and made for the container at a run.

"Let's move it!" He growled from behind the Crislams who struggled to run with their load of water. "Can't drink it if you're dead!" He barked.

"Down!" River shrieked and Riddick hit the dirt in the same breath, rolling over onto his back as if he was star gazing.

Imam dropped, his two charges however, who did not speak English, had no understanding of what the thin girl screamed, and continued running for a moment too long as the flock descended on them. Imam reached up grapping onto the legs of one of his boys, fighting against the creature.

Riddick remained still, he did not even turn his head when the screaming began. As the flock returned for a second swipe, he raised a bone shiv into the air, blue blood splattering his arms and face he removed the shiv, it was completely destroyed, it was like a river of razorblades.

As the flock returned for the second time Imam lost his grip tasting dirt before he could be carried off with them, their screams tore through the survivors like as Riddick had thought a moment before, a river of razorblades. The others in the container looked away, while River and Jack kept their gazes locked on the prone form of Riddick, who stood a moment later and causally dusted of his cargos before making for the container at an easy jog, stopping over the weeping form of the Holy Man, he grabbed him up by his robes.

"Where's your god now?" He smirked, and Imam could only look away, "If you wanna live to light a candle Holy Man, time to get up." Riddick pulled him to his feet.

A rising clicking sound filled the air as they made their way to the container, Riddick turned back as they reached the hatch, River and Jack joining him on either side as the spires began to crumble from within. Unconsciously Fry grabbed the hatch frame, her knuckles turning white, she knew that sound.

Riddick pulled down his goggles, every detail of the quickly approaching nightfall revealed to him under his ultra violet gaze.

"What are they?" Jack asked, taking a small step behind Riddick, using his body as shelter.

"Stay close kid," he rumbled low, "real close."

The clicking grew louder as a seemingly endless number of the creatures poured from their burrows, sounding out a world they had not inhabited in twenty two years.

"What is it?" Carolyn breathed, "What's happening?"

Riddick turned as the planet began to block out the very last of the sun's rays, "Like I said, ain't us you got to worry about." He said, pushing past her leading each one of _his _girls by the hand.

Carolyn could only stand there watching as Johns forced the hatch door closed, the resounding boom a morbid warning, the cold truth slamming into her as the sound echoed off the container's hull. "Where all going to die." She whispered to herself, and if anyone heard her, they chose to ignore it.

* * *

Johns clicked on his flashlight, lightening up the darkened container, and Paris flicked on his lighter, as the others scrambled for whatever they had which provided light. "Well I don't wanna jump to conclusions here but those just might be the fuckers that killed everything on this planet."

Jack snorted, "Way to keep up with the class."

"Oh fuck you kid." Johns snarled.

Riddick growled stepping between Johns and Jack, "Wanna say that again Johns?"

"Quiet please! Everyone quiet!" Imam called, pressing his ear against the container hull.

"Why do they make that sound?" Jack asked River.

"Echo location." She answered running her fingers along the cold metal, her eyes glazing over slightly.

"They see without seeing," Carolyn whispered, the ramblings of the Tam girl finally beginning to make sense in her head. "You some kind of fucking psychic or something girl? Or maybe you knew about this world the entire fucking time, just waitin' for the right moment, let them pick us off for you! Maybe you were the one who knocked us out of the shipping lanes in the first place!" She snapped, guilt and fear clouding her judgment, she was the only one who didn't realize what she was saying made no sense at all.

Riddick growled, the sound of it echoing through the container, silencing the survivors.

River merely laughed, "Guilt, fear, anger," she giggled as she stepped closer to Carolyn, "They do not suit you well, the girl tried to warn you all, you laughed and called her crazy, secrets, secrets, secrets, you all carry them, this world carries them and the girl knows every single one. Not the girl's fault you dismissed her." She turned her back on Fry, "The pilot playing at captain has chosen the wrong side, but she will not learn from her error, and the girl no longer cares who lives or dies, she tried to warn you, save you all, and now you blame her," River took Jack's hand and lead her away from one side of the container, where she could feel the clicking before it was able to be heard, "the girl will look after hers and her own, the rest of you," she said over her shoulder in a very Riddick like voice, "Can go fuck yourselves."

Johns was about to start yelling when the clicking sounds started coming from behind them, in the direction River had lead Jack away from. "What was that?"

"I-I don't know." Carolyn answered.

"How could they get in here?" Shazza asked desperation and fear heavy in her voice.

"Breach in the hull maybe?" Carolyn offered her head turning to look at Johns.

Johns realized that she expected him to go and check it out as her eyes drifted to the gauge in his hands, "Oh fuck that, I'd rather piss glass."

Riddick chuckled, "Oh c'mon Billy-Bad Ass, you got the big gauge."

"Fuck you Riddick, why don't you go check it out."

Another round of clicking came from the darkness followed by the toppling of a crate.

"Fuck," Johns swore, shifting his weight, before making his decision and pushing to the front of the little group, he took a pull of air off his breather. Shazza, Carolyn, Imam, and Paris huddled behind him as he walked.

Riddick and Jack looked to River who shook her head, and they remained behind.

Johns fired blindly around the open container door, the blast was followed by a high pitched squealing and as the sound died he eased himself and his light around the door. "Just one of the little ones, that musta…Fuck!" He dove to the ground as something whooshed above his head, so close he could feel the quick breeze, as he went down his shot gun discharged, the quick flash of light revealing for the briefest of moments a full grown adult. Johns was back on his feet and scrambling towards the group in the next second.

"I'm not staying in here another second!" Paris cried going for the door.

Fry and Shazza pulled him back slamming him against the opposite wall, "Got a bloody death wish you arse!" Shazza screamed at him.

"You don't even know what's out there," Fry tried to calm him.

"I know what is damn well in here," he fought them for only a second longer before realizing what he had almost done.

River smirked at her Riddick, "Told you."

Riddick chuckled.

The sound of scratching against the hatch door brought everyone's attention into focus, Johns fumbled with a cutting torch, a second later the gas caught, the momentarily blinding light illuminating the door, and the small puncture marks forming there. The sudden thudding caused everyone to take a horrified step back.

"Still wanna get out there?" Jack joked, an eyebrow raised at Paris.

Riddick snarled at Johns who had gotta too close to him with the blinding torch, "Think you can do something else with that besides holding it in my fucking face!"  
Johns looked from Riddick to the torch and back to the door as another heavy thud rocked it, "Fuck," he swore starting to cut away a hole through the opposite wall, kicking it out, he was the first to dive through.

The others scrambled in behind him, shoving whatever they could to block the new hole, the sound of ripping metal echoing as the creatures broke through the door.

They scrambled from container to container as one would cheat through a garden maze, cutting holes through the walls blocking their path. As River climbed through into the fifth container, she froze, the echoes of their presence residing in the walls, they had been here before.

Riddick walked away, inhaling the remnants of pepper-shot, Jack and River close on his heels, something squished beneath Jack's feet. "Fuck, tell me this ain't where we came from."

Riddick slipped off his goggles, "Don't ask questions you don't want answered." He rumbled, pulling _his_ girls with him into the shadows, his gaze drifting up to see an adolescent feasting on a hatchling.

"Where's Riddick and the girls?" Imam asked, looking around frantically as another hole was cut away.

"Who gives a shit." Shazza snapped, "ain't waitin' around 'cause they decided to sight see, girl said it herself, she's only lookin' out after her own."

Imam frowned, stepping away from the group, clutching his hand light as if it were a holy relic. He went in search of the missing trio, subconsciously thinking of them as lost lambs he could bring back to the light. Imam's frown deepened as something squished beneath his feet.

"Bad timing Holy Man," Riddick whispered from the shadows behind him, as the head of the adolescent jerked up. The heavy bone blade on its skull sweeping from left to right, as its scythe like claw blade tapped against the crate it sat upon.

Imam trembled.

"Don't move," Riddick whispered, "Don't you dare fucking move."

A loud crash came from above them, slowly four sets of eyes drifted upwards, though only one set could actually see the predator which landed above.

Silently, Riddick stepped further back into the shadows, fuck the Holy Man, he thought, _his_ girls were behind him and he could smell the fresh wave of fear pouring off Jack. He pushed them further into the shadows.

The adult leapt on the adolescent, in an attempt to steal his meal, Imam thought it provided distraction enough and took off running. The pair of predators turned from the cold meal to chase after a fresh warm one instead.

"Now?" Jack whispered.

"No." River answered, tightening her grip on Jack's hand. Imam's scream echoed through the container, "Now," she whispered, and the trio took off, lead by Riddick through the maze of over turned crates and barrels, back towards the group, the sound of a third predator coming up fast on their heels.

"Fuck!" Riddick howled blinded by the sudden light of the cutting torch as they came around the corner, and he went down taking both girls with him.

"Where's Imam?" Carolyn demanded, a second later a creature lunged, pulling back at the last moment shrieking in pain as the light of the torch hit it.

Johns fired a quick blast from his shot gun, while Shazza blindly shot with the gun he had given her.

"Cease!" River yelled at them, "Idiots! You'll use all the ammo we have!" She angrily snatched the gun from Shazza, whose shots had been so poorly aimed the wall was now scattered with tiny punctures. Shazza was startled by the action but didn't protest, deciding in situations like this it was best to let the killer hold the gun.

A short shriek echoed, followed by a twitching carcass slamming into the ground. The group leaned in close, getting their first up close and personal look at their hunters. It's grayish skin sizzled and popped where the light hit it.

"The light actually burns them," Carolyn spoke to herself, and whoever else was still listening to her at that point , "Where's Imam?" She asked again, fear real and alive in her voice. A vicious shrieking echoed from behind them, in the direction the creature had come.

"Ain't coming," Jack said emotionlessly, the man had died, oh well, they'd gotten out alive because of it.

Shazza and Carolyn hesitated for only a second before they began moving through the latest hole, grief could come later.

* * *

"One torch, one hand light, two more in the cabin, I think, gotta be shit in the ship we can use to see, emergency lighting runs off its own generator. What else we got that burns?" Fry asked, looking from face to face, as they huddled together, divided into two groups.

"Alcohol, anything over ninety proof burns well," Paris offered.

"How many you got?"

"Maybe ten?" He shrugged, wishing he hadn't drank so much through the day.

"How many flares you got left Johns?"

"Four," he answered checking his gear.

"Weapons?" She asked next.

"Got the big gauge, my one handgun the girl's got, you got one Carolyn, and a handful of shivs." Johns answered, eyeing the pilot.

"The girl had flash bombs and grenades, someone took them away." River shot Johns a dark look.

"In a locker in the main cabin," Johns returned her glare. "What the fuck are you thinkin' on Fry."

Carolyn merely looked at him.

River quirked an eyebrow, surprised the pilot playing at being captain actually had the spine to suggest what she was thinking, though River had to admit it was the only chance at survival they had, a similar plan had been running between her and her Riddick's minds, only it involved running with only three and not eight.

After a moment Johns caught on, "Oh lady if you're in your right mind, I pray you go insane."

"We stick to the plan, get the four cells to the skiff and we're off this rock."

"Hate to ruin your beautiful plan, but the sand cat is solar." Paris interjected taking a sip from a flask, his resolution of not drinking any of the alcohol dissolving completely.

"Only chance we got." Shazza straightened herself from the wall.

"Back it up, how long we got before this thing is over, couple of minutes, a few hours? We sit it out here." Johns snapped, unwilling to face the things in the dark.

"You saw the bloody model Johns," Shazza argued, "The planets and suns fell into orbit with each other."

"Bet someone else said that once," Jack said looking up at River and Riddick, "locked away in that coring room."

"Ain't leadin' these people to their deaths Carolyn," Johns scowled.

"You're the only one arguing against it Johns, don't do this, don't use them as a smoke screen for your own fears."

"Fuck you Fry," he snapped, "Why don't you rag your hole for two seconds while I try to think of a plan which doesn't require mass suicide."

A few moments passed, the silence broken only by the faint clicking and screeching coming from outside the walls of their make shift safe house.

"How much you weigh Johns?" Carolyn snorted.

"What the fuck does that have to do with anything?"

River giggled and answered knowing full well what was coming out of Fry's mouth next, "Seventy-nine kilos."

Fry only gave the girl a glance before turning back to Johns, "'Cause your seventy nine kilos of gutless white meat!" She spat out, "That's why you can't come up with a better plan."

Johns moved across the small space, pinning Carolyn to the wall.

"What'dja think baby girl?" Riddick asked River chuckling and straightening himself from the wall, "Should we step in to this little domestic dispute?"

River shook her head, "Your girl cares for neither party, let them terminate each other and save us the trouble." She leaned back into his chest, comforted by the soft purr rumbling from within.

"This solves nothing!" Paris yelled at them both while Shazza tried to push herself between them.

"Back the fuck off Johns!" She spat at him, "Core boy is right, ain't helping shit 'iffin' we start tearin' each other's throats out!" Johns glared at the women, he spit on the floor at their feet before releasing his hold on Fry.

"Well that was disappointing," Jack said quietly to River who giggled in response.

"They're afraid of our light, that means we don't have to be afraid of them," Carolyn said more to herself than the others.

"Ya sure you can get us back to the skiff?" Shazza asked afraid of wandering in the dark, being picked off one by one.

"No," Carolyn answered, leveling her gaze on Riddick, "but he can."

Riddick threw back his head, barking out a dark chuckle, "And what makes you think I give a shit 'bout you and yours Fry?" Riddick asked, "How can you be so sure I won't leave you to rot, thought that's why we didn't grab the power cells when we had the chance," he took a step into the group, pushing past Johns, so Carolyn could see the silver of his eyes, "thought that's why Billy-boy here blocked me from seein' the ship, now that the dyin' starts everybody's in such a rush to trust the Big Bad killer. What 'iffin' he ain't interested in savin' your asses?"

Johns pumped his shot gun, leveling it at River. Riddick turned snarling.

"What if I keep your girl here with me, just a bit of insurance you understand, first itch I get I blow her pretty little fucking head to bits." He smirked, letting his gaze drift from the girl to the snarling man. "We got a deal?"

Riddick continued to snarl, River merely laughed stepping closer to Johns forcing the shot gun against her forehead, "The blue eyed devil won't kill the girl, empty threat, empty, empty, threat. Ghost me," she taunted him, "the devil has other plans for the girl, knows her secret now, thinks the girl can be turned against her Riddick," She giggled manically, "wants to keep her for himself."

Riddick continued to snarl, the beast practically breaking through its bars.

"Shut the fuck up," Johns snapped, lowering his gun.

River spun away, giggling, the onslaught of emotion coming from the survivors starting to overwhelm her and she twisted behind Riddick, peeping out from over his shoulder.

"This has got to fucking stop!" Shazza snapped, "Those fucking beasts are rippin' through the metal as we speak, longer we stand here threatening' to blow each other to bits, closer they fuckin' get. I personally ain't wantin' to be dinner."

"Shazza's right," Fry said, "Are you going to help us or not Riddick?"

Riddick growled low, pulling River against his chest, "Got one fucking speed," he spat out, "mine." His beast imagining all the different ways to kill the blue eyed devil, each more painful than the last.

* * *

Carolyn was the first to step out into the darkness, the cutting torch mixed for maximum flame, and yet still giving off less light than she liked, much less. "Stay in the light," she called over her shoulder as one by one they emerged, as if anyone needed the reminder. Riddick gripped River with one hand and Jack with the other, keeping them both close and away from Johns.

"Riddick," Carolyn called him to the front of the group to check the main cabin which was shrouded in complete darkness.

He pushed up his goggles, scanning the cabin, "Looks clear," he rumbled.

Johns pushed past him, hoping to get to the grenades and flash bombs before either one of the psycho-fuck twins did. He dove out of the way as a creature flew at him, nearly take his head with it.

"Fuck! Thought you said it was clear goddamn it!"

Riddick smirked, "Said, _looks clear_, never said it was."

"Yeah well how the fuck does it look now?" Johns barked.

Riddick dipped his head back in, "Looks clear." River and Jack both laughed.

Fry pushed past them all, "Just get the damn lights running."

* * *

"You got something you want to say Jayne?" Mal asked from the head of the table, they been drifting through the Sol- Track lanes for more than a week, without any real knowledge of what they were looking for, girl hadn't left a trace of herself since Monty seen her back on Pathos.

He snorted in response, "It goin' make a difference?"

"Not likely."

"Ain't got _gou shi_ (shit) to say then captain," He went back to his food.

"Just as likely they went the other way sir," Zoe tried keeping the peace, the atmosphere onboard Serenity had been steadily getting' tenser and tenser, she wasn't looking forward to having to step in between Jayne and the captain. She was beginning to see Jayne's point anyhow, 'iffin' the girl didn't want to be found, she wasn't goin' to be, it was only her fear of what the murderer might be doin' to the girl that kept her mouth shut.

Mal grunted.

"Be needin' another job soon any how sir, 'iffin' we're planning on keeping this boat in the black."

"Fine, we head back to Pathos, refuel, find a job and look for any sign of the little 'Tross."

Jayne merely grunted again, knowing his opinion on the subject of finding the gorram girl would be ignored anyway. If it kept on much longer he just might go ruttin _feng le_ himself.

* * *

Johns scowled at the empty locker, his eyes searching out and finding the Tam girl who twirled a flash bomb in her fingers, smirking at him, her eyes shooting a glance at his shaking hand. He pocketed a few of the red shells and stormed out of the main cabin.

River went back to work helping Jack remove the lighting coils, she handed her the flash bomb she had been twirling. "How many of those we got?" Jack asked accepting it and jamming the rod into her boot next to the shiv.

"Two, and four grenades, the girl has one full clip for the devil's gun," she frowned at the weapon, "hers is better, but she doubts the pilot will surrender it."

"Could always just take it," Jack shrugged heaving a coil onto her shoulder.

River smirked, "We take what we please."

"Kill who stands in our way." Jack finished their mantra.

Riddick appeared behind them and smirking he took the weight of the coil from Jack, "Whose _my _girls plottin' to kill now? 'Cause I got dibs on the devil man."

River beamed at his choice of pronoun.

"Anyone who stands 'tween us and that skiff," Jack smirked.

Riddick grunted in approval.

"We ready to move people?" Fry yelled from the other side of the cabin.

"Got everything we could scavenge," Shazza answered, "Rigged what would burn of the booze to work like lanterns."

"How many we got?" Fry asked.

"Nine," Paris answered, "Nine bottles, four hand lights, three cutting torches, a couple of belt lights and however much of the light ropes they managed to tear up."

"Good, deal 'em out." Fry ordered, "Where's Johns?"

"You need to ask?" Jack pushed past her.

Carolyn inhaled deeply before climbing above deck, "You ready Johns?" She asked ignoring the sight of the empty ampoules next to him.

"He'll lead you over the first cliff, ya know that right?" He smirked, pulling himself up to his feet.

"Just burnin' light Johns," She looked away, not wanting to face the fact that there was a real possibility of it.

"You give him the cells and the skiff and he'll leave you to die."

"I don't get it Johns what's so goddamn important in your life that you're worried about losin', 'sides your next spike? Ain't either one of us got a right to be scared." She turned her back on him, "Not a single fuckin' reason."

* * *

"Toss one of them grenades baby," Riddick told River before they stepped out, "Clear the way to the sled."

River bit the pull out of one of the grenades tossing it out into the open, Riddick shielded his ungoggled eyes from the glare of the explosion as a chorus of shrieks sounded.

"What six down?" Jack smirked, "Only a billion to go."

"Give your gun to _my _girl," Riddick said to Fry.

"What?" She asked taking a step back.

"Said give _my_ girl back her fucking gun," he growled, "Ain't sticking my neck out on the hope you can fucking shoot, know _my_ girl can, so give her your fucking gun."

"Ain't happenin' Riddick," she snapped.

Riddick shrugged, "Find your own way in the dark then."

"Bloody hell, Carolyn give the damn girl your fucking gun." Shazza snapped.

Carolyn looked at Johns, he shook his head slightly, but seeing no other option handed it over.

"The girl thanks you for the return of her possession." River said flatly taking the gun and checking to make sure a full clip was loaded.

"Here's how we run people," Riddick barked stepping out into the night, averting his gaze from the burning fire the grenade had left behind, the survivors huddling a step behind him, "I want light on my back but not in my fucking eyes," he slung a hand light around his back, "I'll be ten steps ahead, I set the pace, you follow or fall behind, _my _girl ain't pulling she's a step behind me watchin' my ass, Jack you're runnin' with her to keep a light goin', the rest of you are hauling the sled, ain't nobody steps out of the light, _dong ma?_" He yanked a torch out of Paris' hand and tossed it to Jack as he walked passed, pausing a moment to whisper low, "Stay close girl."

* * *

The glowing caravan moved across the desert, following the tracks of the sand cat. River ran backwards a pace behind Riddick, never checking her footing nor her resting her eyes for a moment. Occasionally she would fire and a shriek would slice through the air, followed by the sounds of tearing flesh as the creatures feasted on their fallen brethren.

Jack kept pace with her, the cutting torch mixed for full burn her eyes trained on Riddick's back, running just along the outside of the circle of light. She was the first to notice they'd deviated from the sand cat's tracks, but trusting fully in Riddick she did not remark on it, not even to River. If Riddick had left the tracks it was for a damn good reason, the type of reason which makes the difference between life and death.

River tracked Jack's thoughts, pleased the girl trusted her Riddick, whose mind she was also keeping a tab on. River knew the reason they'd left the tracks, and was just waiting for the fallout as soon as the others noticed it.

Much longer after River had thought they'd catch on Carolyn finally did, looking down at the sand and noticing the tracks were gone she looked back up at Johns who was watching her. "Saw that too." He said, an I told you so smirk across his face.

"Riddick!" Carolyn yelled ahead, "Riddick!" The glowing procession halted, Shazza nearly falling down on top of it, regretting her decision to give the animal her breathing unit.

"We've left the tracks haven't we?" She asked Fry who nodded in response.

"Bloody brilliant," Paris took a sip from his flask.

"What?" Riddick snarled jogging back over to the sled, River and Jack behind him.

"Why aren't we following the tracks anymore?" She demanded, throwing down her harness, "I'm not hauling this shit a step farther 'til you tell me where the goddamn tracks are!"

"Saw somethin' I didn't like."

"Like what?" Johns demanded, jumping on the opportunity to sway the majority back to his side again.

"Like a bunch of those fuckers tearin' each other to bits, thought we swing wide, that okay with you _boss_?" He sneered out the last word.

A chorus of clicks ended the confrontation.

"Let's just get moving," Carolyn said reshouldering her harness.

Riddick smirked, "Thought you'd see it my way," his smirk died quickly though as he noticed behind them a small group of the beasts hovering just outside the light. "Move." He growled and for once no one argued.

They'd gonna less then another mile before Paris stumbled caught up in his harness, a bottle of wine falling out of his pouch, he lurched for it ripping the generator for the lighting coils out of the sled as he stumbled again.

"Fuck!" Shazza yelled fumbling to light one of the booze bottles.

"Paris, get back in the light!" Carolyn screamed as the idiot shrugged out of his harness to go chasing after his bottle.

The generator died with a heart wrenching hiss, plunging them all into semi-darkness, the only illumination coming from the remaining lit torches, they huddled around the sled.

"Paris?" Shazza yelled into the darkness.

"Told you," River whispered as she felt Riddick step behind her.

Paris' fingers closed around the neck of his bottle, it was a vintage year, the last remaining in existence. Over his shoulder he saw the dim glowing of the torches. "I'm alright!" He called.

"Get your fucking ass back here!" Johns barked.

Paris struggled to his feet, only to be knocked back down by a searing pain and the feeling of warm blood pouring down his back, he fell to his knees, reality hitting him as the sounds of clicking drowned out all others. "I was supposed to die in New France," he muttered, sipping off his flask, "Never even got to see it," He spit out the liquid igniting it with his lighter, and let out a blood curdling scream as the first of the creatures sunk into his flesh.

"What do you see?" Carolyn asked in a whisper.

Riddick turned his gaze from the sight of a mother ripping her newborn off her back and tearing into its flesh, "Hunger."

"They are never satisfied." River finished.

"Time to kick on," Riddick rumbled low.

* * *

"Bottle count," Fry called over her shoulder to Shazza as she discarded the last cutting torch and lit a bottle off Johns' burning one.

"Got four left, means we're half way right?" Shazza asked.

"Let's pick up the pace!" She yelled.

Johns stopped her, halting the sled, the flare of light when she lit her bottle illuminating their tracks.

"What's wrong?" She asked watching him shrug off his harness and pump his shot gun.

Johns ignored her. "You think we're fucking stupid Riddick!" He yelled out.

"We've crossed our tracks," Shazza said with barely concealed anger, "We've crossed our bloody tracks!" She screamed.

"Do you even know where in the hell you're leading us Riddick?" Carolyn accused.

"Straight over a fucking cliff!" Johns barked back.

"Listen!" River yelled at them, "You may be deaf but we are not," she glared at the heated trio, who silenced themselves and actually tried listening.

The sounds around them were almost deafening when they did actually stop to listen, causing them all to wonder how they'd missed it before.

"Canyon ahead, circled once to buy some time to think."

"About what?" Shazza demanded regretting now more than ever handing over her weapon to the girl.

"About how to kill us all and still get the cells back to the skiff! Goddamn it we're just doing the heavy lifting for them!"

"Fucking idiots!" Jack yelled at them, causing everyone to jerk their heads to where she was standing, her torch had died as well, the flaming bottle in her hand shook, as anger shot through her veins. "Ain't done a thing to one of you fucking whining shit bags, they warn you and you don't listen, somebody dies and you shut your mouths for a fucking second, don't last long, minute one of you feels an itch you start screaming that Riddick and River are gonna dick us and leave us to die, ain't done a damn thing but try to help your sorry asses!" Riddick smirked surprised by Jack's defense, River however was not.

Shazza and Carolyn lowered their heads.

"Why did we cross our tracks then? What's so goddamn important we wasted light circling?" Johns demanded.

"Things go by blood, 'iffin' you haven't noticed, they've been nose up for us since we left the skiff."

Johns' gaze travelled to each body, "Ain't no one bleedin'."

"One of _my_ girls is."

Johns, Shazza, and Fry looked at River, "Ain't bleedin'," Johns spat out, "Wait _one_ of your girls?"

River stepped in front of Jack, who shrank back against Riddick. "Guess my cover's blown, I didn't know…" Her voice trailed off, "thought it was just movement."

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me," Johns glared at the girl.

"That canyon up there's death valley." Riddick said, "Mating grounds."

"Is there another way?" Shazza asked hopefully, "We can go around."

"Ain't enough light for that." Riddick told her.

"This isn't going to work, I was wrong," Carolyn said low, "We should go back to the ship, wait it out."

"Hey you're the one who dragged me out here, working like a goddamn sled dog, now you wanna turn tail and cower back at the ship!" Johns snapped.

"I said I was wrong, I'm sorry, my bad, let's just get back to the ship."

"Your bad?" Johns asked, "You're fucking bad! I dunno know Carolyn, nice breeze, wide open spaces, startin' to like it out here!" He scoffed.

"Are you fucking high Johns, listen to yourself." She shot back.

"And it begins," River whispered low enough for only Jack and Riddick to hear.

"No, no, you were right Carolyn, my life's just a steaming pile of meaningless toad shit anyway. So I say mush on, canyon's only a couple of hundred yards and then its Skiff City, so butch the fuck up stuff a cork in the kid and get moving."

"She's the captain Johns we should listen to her!" Shazza defended, the idea of pushing forward into certain death less appealing than going back to the ship to await almost certain death.

"Listen to her?" He asked incredulously, "Listen to her when she was so willing to dump us all to save her own ass!"

"What's he talking about?" Shazza asked, eyes turning to Fry.

"Shut your fucking mouth Johns." Carolyn growled.

"Tried to blow the whole fucking passenger cabin, kill us all to save her own ass, her buddy Owens is the one that stopped her and he died for it. Ain't gonna die for you Carolyn."

"Shut the fuck up!" She screamed through her tears.

"Why Fry? It's the fucking truth ain't it? Just kill us all in our sleep and walk away guilt free!"

Carolyn screamed as she lunged for him, her hands going for his throat.

"Should we stop 'em?" Jack asked.

Riddick shrugged resting his chin on the top of River's head, "Baby?"

"Stop it!" Shazza screamed as Johns planted his boot into Carolyn's ribs.

"It will end on its own accord, he does not desire to kill her, and she is not skilled enough to terminate him."

"Well, least you get to kill him still," Jack shrugged watching the scuffle with only mild interest.

"Gotta figure a way to get you through kid," Riddick grunted.

"Run like hell?" She offered, not as concerned as she thought she should be, fully confident in Riddick and River's ability to keep her safe, River had promised hadn't she?

Riddick barked out a laugh as Shazza managed to rip Johns away from Carolyn.

"Happy are ya?" Shazza snapped at Johns, "You're a fucking woman beater now ya piece of shit."

"Fuck you," he spat at the ground, "Verdict's in the light moves forward." He shoved past the women, "How much you weigh now Fry?" he said shoving the harness at her, "Ain't playin' fucking sled dog any longer." He cracked open a flare.

"Can't pull the sled my goddamn self," Shazza snapped back.

"The girl and _her_ Jack will help," River offered surprising both Riddick and Jack, but Riddick's surprise lasted only a second before he realized _his _girl had just opened up an opportunity to disappear into the darkness with the devil. A smirk crossed his face.

"You heard Billy-Bad Ass," he said with a barely restrained chuckle, "mush on."

The sled team pushed forward, River carefully putting distance between them and the devil, she listened to the wheels turn in his head, disgust overwhelming her, he truly was the devil. "More distance Jack," she whispered.

"We should stay close," Shazza argued.

River threw an angry glare over her shoulder, "When will they learn a warning when they hear it?" She asked out loud.

Jack snorted, and slowed her pace, "When their dead."

"And how the fuck do you know somethin's going on?" Fry shot back, humiliated and ashamed she lashed out, no longer caring if she was right or wrong, alive or dead.

River snorted and choose not to validate the pilot's remarks.

Carolyn wanted to hate someone right now, someone who wasn't herself, or Johns, because Johns was right about her, and he wasn't sittin' on some high and mighty horse actin' like he was better than the rest of them. He was as much of a shithead as she was and didn't care to hide it, and this little shit of a girl wanted across the 'verse, had broken onto her ship to kill a merc was actin' like not a drop of sin could ever touch her. It didn't matter that she had no proof the girl had knocked them out of the shipping lanes, Carolyn now believed it, and easily shouldered the blame for all the death that had happened onto River M. Tam and Richard B. Riddick and away from herself.

The pilot playing captain's thoughts did not go unnoticed.

Johns fell into step with Riddick, "Ain't all of us gonna make it." He remarked, causally as if they had been friends for years instead of alternating between predator and prey.

"Just figurin' that out." Riddick grunted.

Johns fired a shot in the direction of a nearby clicking, knowing he didn't have a chance in hell of hitting anything, he did however want to remind everyone just who had he Big Gauge. "Six of us left, we make it through the canyon just losin' one, that'd be a fucking feat itself. Good thing."

"Depends on whose in the five that make it out I suppose," Riddick answered the beast snarling, but the man remained cool and collected.

"And what if you're one of the five?"

"Listening," Riddick smirked, noticing how Johns did not mention if _his_ girls where one of the five.

"Battle field docs decide who lives and dies, its called triage." Johns justified.

"Kept callin' it murder when I did it." Riddick continued to smirk, bidding his time, the scent of _his_ girls was getting weaker, good girls, he told them in his head, just a little bit more distance.

"Either way I figure it's something you can grab onto."

"I get it, hack up a body and leave it at the mouth of the canyon, like a bucket of chum."

"Nah, we just trawl with it, drag the body behind the sled, don't wanna feed these fuckers, just wanna keep 'em of our scent."

"Nice embellishment," Riddick smirked, "So which one caught your eye," Riddick looked back to gauge just how far away _his_ girls had fallen. Frowning slightly as he noticed they had stopped moving completely.

"Don't look, what the hell's wrong with you, thought you were a pro."

"Slower Jack," River whispered.

"What so Riddick can slit Johns' throat and ya'll leave us here." Carolyn spat out.

Shazza jerked her head up, she didn't like Johns, or Carolyn for that matter, and Jack seemed to switch teams, which only left the three of them against the psycho-fuck twins if it came down to it."Why we need to slow down, we should be keepin' better pace with them." She said though less heatedly than Carolyn.

"I've figured it out haven't I," Carolyn barked out a laugh, it sounded of desperation, "Riddick takes care of Johns, the last one with any real weapon besides psycho bitch over here, and then bam, we're dead and they're off this rock." River still had not turned to acknowledge her.

"Shut your fucking mouth Fry," Jack snapped, "You might be in love with the sound of your own voice but I sure as hell ain't, save your strength to pull."

"Look whose big and bad now? You're fault those beasts are nippin' at our heels."

"Fry," Shazza warned, afraid the pilot had actually really lost her mind.

"Ain't afraid of the little shit Shazza and you shouldn't be neither." Carolyn snorted. "Just a crazy little shit with a gun ain't that right sweetheart?"

River did not answer, forcing herself to take deep breathes and remain calm.

"I'm fucking talking to you, you crazy bitch!" Carolyn snapped and reached out grabbing River's shoulder.

River swung around launching a solid punch to Carolyn's jaw and drew her guns, leveling them at her, "The pilot playing at captain will cease her words or the girl will cease them for her, she does not wish to kill her but swears she will if she calls her crazy one more time."

"Johns was right, you'll turn on us the moment we close our eyes." Fry accused, laughing as she wiped away a small trickle of blood from her mouth.

"Put 'em down girl." Shazza said quietly, taking off her harness slowly, "Ain't no good come of any of this."

"Which one caught your eye?"

"Ain't picky, and let's not name the Thanksgiving Day turkey, take your pick."

"So it's me doin' the slicin?"

"What's one more to your body count Riddick? Already going to hell, but if I had my choice I'd go with the bitch that's already bleeding."

Riddick could not control the growl that escaped his throat.

"No need to get your panties in a bunch big guy," Johns said, "Know you got this whole big brother thing goin' and its real cute, trust me I'm tearin' up, but fact is me and you, we're the same kinda people at the end of the day, survival is all that counts. Said it yourself they've been nose up for her since we jumped ship. Think about it big guy, you willing to die for those skirts back there?"

Riddick didn't need to think about it, his answer rolled off his tongue before his mind registered the thought, "Just thinkin' we might need bigger bait is all."

"Which one Carolyn or Shazza?"

"Wonderin' iffin' those things would mind the taste of morphine in their blood," Riddick said immediately dropping low and kicking John's legs out from beneath him, the shot gun discharging its last shell uselessly into the air.

River's head jerked up at the sound of the gun shot, she had been preoccupied with the pilot and lost her Riddick's train of thought.

Carolyn took the opportunity to dive at her knocking her backwards.

"Get off her you bitch!" Jack snarled and leapt at Carolyn knocking her off River and dropping her bottle in the process they rolled into the darkness.

"Stay in the fucking light!" Shazza screamed.

River was on her feet but Jack was lost in the shadows, she fired at the creatures surrounding the struggling pair, for the first time a slight panic setting in as she realized Jack was on her own, if she stopped firing to help the creatures would get her first.

Johns dropped his light to go after his shot gun but Riddick kicked it away and into the darkness. The green flare created an eerie circle of light around the pair, and they moved around it, neither one lunging, both men waiting for other to make the first move.

"One rule Johns, stay in the light." Riddick smirked flipping out the shiv Jack had given him back.

"Been waitin' for an excuse to kill you," Johns sneered, flipping out a shiv of his own, albeit much smaller than Riddick's, "After I gut you, your girl's mine."

Riddick snarled and lunged for the devil.

"Just as crazy as the bitch whose ass your kissin'." Carolyn grunted out as she and Jack struggled for control of the shiv.

"Take that as a fucking compliment," Jack shot back, as she gripped Carolyn's hair and using the pilot's weight against her, flipped her off, winning control back of her shiv.

"She'll kill you and leave you to rot," Carolyn fired back.

A shot whizzed past them both, one of the creatures landing dead next to them.

"'Iffin that's true she woulda let that thing get us," Jack snarled.

"So you'd kill me to save them?" Carolyn tried to swing at the girl but Jack easily side stepped, and spun out of her reach.

"Wouldn't lose a wink of sleep over it Carolyn," Jack growled kicking her legs out from underneath her she pounced, the blade of her shiv pressin' against Carolyn's throat as two more shots rang out above their heads.

"So that's it kid, you're just a psycho fuck killer now too?" Carolyn asked her.

"Newsflash bitch, I was a killer 'fore I ever walked on to the HG." Jack pressed the blade into the pilot's delicate flesh, a ribbon of warm crimson blossoming behind it. "Not a wink bitch." Jack snarled as she stood, backing away as another shot rang out to her left, "Hope you're hungry fuckers." The cub snarled.

Riddick circled close to the edge of the light, the darkness kissing his back, fucking with Johns he took an empty swipe at him, leaving a false opening he played right into. Riddick latched onto the wrist which held Johns shiv twisting it hard, forcing him to drop the blade, and Riddick laughed as he shoving him back to the ground and kicking the fallen shiv into the darkness.

"Wanna try that again?" He smirked.

Johns rolled to his feet grabbing for a bone which lay near where he had fallen. He swung catching Riddick's ribs and followed it with his a fist to his temple. Riddick spun with the blow coming back around he grabbed hold of the bone in Johns' hands and continued his spin, slashing a large gash into Johns' back sending him flying once more to the ground. The flare began to flicker and die.

"Remember that moment?" Riddick asked, taking a step toward the darkness as Johns' eyes landed on his shot gun, he struggled towards it, and fumbled blindly for his shells. "Shoulda never took the chains off Johns…" he took another step back, "One brave fuck before…" the flare fizzled, sputtering out its last few sparks of light, "Billy Bad-Ass…." He stepped back further, the light from the flare barely catching his figure as Johns managed to get the chamber opened, "With the chains… and the badge….and the gauge…" Riddick disappeared completely into the shadows as Johns whirled to his feet gun aimed blindly into the darkness, "Shoulda ghosted me…" Johns swung around to the sound of the voice and the flare died completely.

Johns heard the sound, the rapid clicking, he fired, the shot gun discarded a useless red shell, shattering an ampoule of morphine.

Riddick smirked in the shadows as he watched Johns be torn to pieces, the inkling of a thought blooming in his mind. A few feet away a skull, which he now knew belonged to one of the creatures lay on top of a cluster of rocks, he picked up a long bone and leveled it horizontally with the center of the beast's skull. He studied it, "Blind spot." He whispered to himself.

* * *

Jack stepped back into the small circle of light surrounding the sled, blood dripping from her shiv, she wiped it clean against her cargos.

"Been having fun without me?" Riddick smirked stepping into the light.

Jack looked up at him meeting his gaze, something passed between the two, something River did not feel the need to intrude upon, this was their moment. "Bitch went after River, just protecting me and my own."

Riddick grunted, "Get the cells off the sled, lash 'em together, looks like I'm playin pack mule again."

Shazza stood, clutching her bottle in a white knuckled grip, "What'dja gonna do with me?" Her voice trembled.

Riddick quirked an eyebrow up, "Sides that punch to the jaw earlier ain't got shit of a problem with you, Skiff's just a jog through the Valley of Death up there, 'iffin' you can keep up."

Shazza nodded nearly sick with relief.

* * *

The foursome paused at the mouth of the canyon. "How many?" Shazza was almost afraid to ask.

"One or two." Riddick smirked, adjusting his harness, "What we got left?"

"Two flash bombs, three grenades, three bottles." River answered ticking off the list in her head, "Two half clips," she added after a quick calculation.

"Give Jackie-girl the flashers." Riddick grunted, and River handed her the second one, Jack jammed it into the boot containing the other one. "Stay close girl, right 'tween me and River-girl, they get close drop a flasher," then adding with a smirk, "just a warning first sos you don't blind my ass."

"No worries Big Bad, I'll be sure to check your goggles right 'fore my ass gets eaten." She joked back.

Shazza balked at how easily they could joke over possibly becoming a walking buffet line.

"Wanna clear the road baby girl?" Riddick asked River.

River pulled a grenade from the pocket of her cargos, before she had the chance to pull the pin, the sky cracked and opened up releasing a torrent of rain. Riddick threw his head back and laughed, "Always thought god was a sadistic fuck."

Jack snorted in agreement, watching anxiously as the bottle torches began to sputter.

"And the rain will wash away the sins of man." River said softly.

Riddick looked back at Shazza, "One speed bush whacker." Shazza nodded.

River pulled the pin and tossed it as far in front of them as she could. The explosion lit up the canyon as several of the creatures caught fire becoming flying lanterns, their shrieks of pain echoing off the canyon walls.

"Move!" Riddick roared.

* * *

"We'll be hittin' Pathos is two days." Mal remarked as his first mate took the co pilots seat.

"Been thinkin' sir."

"Yeah?" Mal asked flicking on the auto pilot and turning to face her.

"Mayhap Jayne's right."

"Ain't never thought I'd be hearin' those words from your lips." He grunted.

"Never thought I'd be sayin' them."

"And 'iffin he's wrong?"

"Didn't say I was willing to take the risk, just sayin' we should be prepared for the girl to put up a fight, 'specially if the Doc is right and the girl's been brainwashed."

"Been thinkin' on it myself, back at the Maidenhead girl woulda shot me down 'iffin' her brother hadn't shown up and said her safe words."

"Mayhap will be needin' 'em again, thinkin' we shouldn't take the chance, thinkin' the moment one of us lays eyes on her we should use 'em."

"Thinkin' you may be right. Remember 'em?"

"Not a damn syllable."

"Me neither."

"Thinkin' we should talk to the Doc."

Mal nodded, his gaze drifting back to the stars, he spoke more to himself then her, "Girl's lost out there somewhere in the black, might not even know she's lost, how can we find someone who doesn't know they need to be found?"

"Dead space, that's where a man like Riddick hides," Zoe answered, even though she knew the question wasn't directed at her.

"Whole lotta it in the 'verse Zoe."

"This is as good a place as any to keep watch, we'll run some jobs out of Pathos for awhile, keep our ears to the ground and our eyes open, even man like him needs to work to get by, he'll show up sooner or later. The station's the last stop 'fore the shipping lanes and the first stop when you clear 'em, and some steady coin will keep Jayne from grumblin'."

Mal smirked, "That's why I keep ya 'round Zoe, always thinkin'."

"Thought it was to keep you from getting' shot." She answered his smirk with one of her own.

"I's been shot plenty on your watch Zoe."

"Yeah but you ain't dead."

Mal frowned, "Point taken."

* * *

The hatchlings recovered first from the explosion, a flock of them flew in low, retreating for air at the last possible second, repulsed by the light still burning from the bottle torches.

"Keep moving!" Riddick roared into Jack's ear as she stumbled over a carcass.

The shrieking grew louder and the clicking echoed to an almost deafening volume as hunks of soft flesh fell from the sky.

"DO NOT LOOK UP!" Riddick commanded and almost on reflex Shazza did. Horrified by the cannibalistic carnage above her head, the creatures had begun feast on each other in mid air, flock mates turning against another. These were no creatures of any god.

"Shazza move your ass!" Riddick growled at her as he passed, River taking a hatchling down that had nearly dive bombed her, but he did not stop to push her forward, girl wanted to gawk that was her deal, he had enough shit to deal with lugging a hundred kilos behind him.

Riddick's growl broke her trace and she scrambled over the falling bodies more terrified then she'd ever been in her life. "Fucking hell!" She screamed as she noticed for the first time the passage narrowed into a choke point, a mountain of decaying flesh blocking their way.

"It's a fucking staircase!" Jack snapped at her, "Keep fucking moving!" Turning her head back to see where Riddick was she lost her footing, slicing her arm on the scythe like claw of one of the dead predators, she let out a cry sliding farther down the mountain of carcasses.

"Jack!" River yelled, spinning round and firing blindly at the swarm of hatchlings following the girl's decent, each bullet finding its mark.

On pure instinct and will to survive Jack snatched a flash bomb out of her boot and jammed the cylinder shaped rod into the body of one of the beasts screaming, "Down!"

An explosion of light rocketed through the canyon, the creatures shrieking in agony fled in all directions. Pain seared through Jack's head blocking out everything else, vaguely she heard her name being called but it was faint against the violent ringing in her ears, which she realized she could feel blood trickling out of.

"Jack!" Riddick's voice broke through her daze, "Jack!" He roared.

She blinked, "Fuck," she swore shaking her head.

Riddick chuckled, "Get your ass up girl." He grabbed her arm and yanked her to her feet. "Move!" he ordered.

The creatures were recovering as well, enraged and spurned on by the scent of blood, warm, hot, fresh blood.

River tossed a grenade into the air, aiming her gun she fired, exploding it, she sent an entire flock down in the form of raining fire and lighting up the canyon as her three companions struggled up the mountain, Jack now helping to bare _their _Riddick's load, while Shazza fought just to keep herself together, dodging the pieces of falling burning flesh.

* * *

"My Lady," A tall, pale man bowed with a slight nod of his head to a robbed figure seated regally in a throne like chair.

The lady tilted her head in acknowledgement.

"I've just received a bounty request from a man on Juno, it seems his hired man has not returned on schedule and he fears he has disappeared with some very rather valuable cargo."

"You're wasting my time Junner," The lady responded bored.

"The man in question would be a one Richard B. Riddick."

The lady's head turned, suddenly very interested, "Do we have a location?"

"A last known yes."

"Change course," She snapped quickly.

"I'll give the orders," he tilted his head once more before taking his leave.

The lady leaned back in her chair, excitement building in her chest for the first time in years.

* * *

They cleared the mountain, River leading them through a tangle of bones which sheltered them slightly from the dive happy hatchlings above. Blood poured from the gash on Jack's arm, but she paid it no mind, the predators did. A fully grown adult smashing threw the wall of rib bones, pinning Jack beneath it, a layer of bone the only thing keeping it from ripping her throat out. River aimed and fired, the bullet catching the beast on its skull bone, knocking it back.

Riddick grabbed for Jack, sliding her on the slick mud through his legs putting himself between her and the beast. His arm flashed out in a blur of motion, his shiv puncturing its soft underbelly and violent slashing up, grayish purple innards coating his arm, as he sank in wrist deep, eviscerating the beast. "Didn't know who it was fucking with!" He spat out, yanking Jack up and onto her feet, "Ain't pickin' your ass up again Jackie-girl." He growled, "Move."

Jack pushed herself on, falling back into step with River, she reached out and River took her hand, discarding an empty useless gun to do so. Six shots left, one grenade, one flash bomb, and three half empty bottles of light, against a half mile of open ground to Skiff City.

"Keep moving, keep moving, keep fucking moving!" Riddick roared behind them as Shazza stumbled smashing her bottle against a pile of rocks.

Two half empty bottles of light.

Shazza practically screamed with joy as the settlement came into view, just another couple hundreds yards to Skiff City and freedom. A good fucking thing too 'cause they were down to less than a quarter in each bottle. Their pace slowed as they enter the camp, River halting them completely with the skiff still out of sight.

"The path to life is paved with death." She whispered, her eyes glazing over.

"What the fuck does that mean?"

"Means the skiff is crawling with those fuckers," Jack said, annoyed that Shazza didn't understand in the first place.

Riddick chuckled coming up behind them, "Told ya you'd get used to it."

"Ain't hard when you listen," Jack mumbled.

"Throw your last bloody grenade, and let's get the hell off this rock." Shazza whispered furiously.

River shot her a look that had been previously reserved for use when dealing with Simon.

"You wanna risk blowin' the skiff too, left oil and shit all over the place when we were patching her up." Jack snapped.

"The girl named Jack can bring the light."

Jack smirked, reaching down into her boot, "Might wanna lower those goggles Big Bad."

"Let's get the fuck off this rock." He answered adjusting his harness and lowering his goggles, he moved in front of them, his eyes scanning their surroundings, "Clear."

"Looks clear or is it fucking clear?" Shazza snapped in a whisper.

"Oh fuck you," Jack rolled her eyes as she shouldered past Shazza and fell into step between River and Riddick.

Shazza trailing behind.

Riddick halted them a few yards later, the skiff just out of sight around a decrepit warehouse. Riddick ducked his head around the corner of the building, and sure enough there were a half dozen of the fuckers milling about around the skiff. "Twenty yards," he rumbled low, "Time for the big bang Baby Bad."

Jack quirked an eyebrow, "Baby Bad? You're fucking kidding me right?"

Riddick chuckled as River rolled her eyes, Shazza didn't see one fucking funny thing about any of it and scowled at them both.

"Just throw the damn thing," She growled.

Jack shot her a look but yanked the cap and tossed the flasher as hard as could. At the sound of the bang and the flash of light they ran, Riddick taking point.

He had never seen a more beautiful sight then the opened hatch of the skiff and his boots hit it with a satisfying thud, his satisfaction lasted less than a second and he froze. River felt the shift in her Riddick and threw out her arm, Jack slamming against it and nearly tumbling forward.

"Shit!" Shazza swore, as fully grown adult jerked its head up, less than a foot from where Riddick stood, she slipped and frantically scrambled backwards.

"Don't move." River whispered, Jack didn't even risk a nod.

The creature clicked, moving its head to the left and right, Riddick centered himself with the creature, hoping like hell he was right about the blind spot, he moved with it, following its lead, one hand reaching for a shiv, when a scream ripped through the silence. The creature let out a shriek as Riddick slipped from the blind spot and lunged.

Six rapid gunshots exploded from behind him, passing so close to his skull he felt the breeze as they past and the beast fell forward dead, crushing Riddick beneath it. Jack and River struggled to pull a swearing but otherwise unharmed Riddick out from beneath it.

"Fucking goddamn, mother fucking piece of shit, _Qing wa kao de liu mang_ (Frog humping son of a bitch) fucker!" He roared kicking the carcass.

River quirked an eyebrow, "Is my Riddick finished?" She asked when he finally stopped and stood chest heaving glaring angrily at nothing in particular.

"Where is the fuckin' bitch that screamed?" He asked through gritted teeth.

Jack and River looked at each other, surprised that neither had noticed her absence.

"Guess that's what she was screamin' bout then." Riddick answered his own question.

River shrugged, "If the Riddick would please and thank you removed this thing," she shot a disgusted look at the creature, "she will begin to connect the cells."

Riddick growled.

"He is the muscle is he not?" She asked sweetly.

"Ain't flyin' girl." He grunted, bending down to heave the fucker off the skiff.

"You can fly too?" Jack asked.

"Affirmative," River let out a sigh as she bent over the cells, trying to lift one into position, "But the Riddick is very sensitive about who pilots, you must not challenge him or sit in his seat, he resorts to lowly tactics to retrieve them."

Riddick barked out a laugh as he kicked the creature off the ramp.

"Will you teach me?" Jack asked hopefully.

"Sure kid," Riddick said ruffling her hair, "comes in handy 'iffin' you ever had to escape the Slam."

River growled, "The girl will not allow _her _Riddick or _her_ Jack to be placed in cages."

Riddick shrugged, "Okay, sos it comes in handy when ya gotta escape a planet full of carnivorous fucks."

River shot him a look as he closed the skiff's hatch.

"What? Can't say it'll never happen."

* * *

Jack let out her first real breath as the skiff left atmo, "Gonna be a lot of questions whoever picks us up. Could even be a merc ship. Whadda we tell 'em? Ain't like either one of you guys were registered on that ship, not to mention that pretty little price."

River turned back in her chair to face her, and perfecting Fry's slight accent spoke, "Why I am docking pilot Carolyn Joanna Fry, and this," she rested a hand on Riddick's arm. "This is bounty hunter William James Johns."

Jack laughed. "You've got to be shittin' me, why not be Zeke and Shazza, lest they was married and not complete shitheads."

River frowned, "The girl thought that first, but the Riddick is unable to master the accent effectively."

Jack laughed harder.

Riddick scowled, not caring in the slightest that River knew the beast was purring.

* * *

_**Endnote: Whew, that was almost three times my average update, but I couldn't help myself once I really got into the movies scenes, and wow, I know Jack played out much differently in the movie, but in this fic, her backstory is god awful abuse at the hands of her father and in the end she killed him, which is why she is dressed as a boy on the HG running. She's damaged as it is and River validates and justifies her anger and aggression, Riddick praises her for it when she kills Carolyn. This deadly trio is going to rain hell across the 'verse before this story's over. **_

_**Carcrafter7:I hope you're not terribly upset with me, I know I wound up taking Carolyn in the complete opposite direction I said I would, but in the end, this is a much darker version of the PB 'verse, and I decided to take Carolyn to a darker place. She couldn't handle the guilt and at first she reflected it inwards, but it got to be too much and she cracked lashing out at everyone around her. Instead of finding herself, she lost herself, it happens. **_

_**If you think I went too far let me know, I think I may be channeling a bit too much Riddick in this tale. **_

'_**Til after now.**_


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: This is a little fun piece that goes in to the days leading up to Dark Fury, a little smattering of some quality family time. Hehehehehehehehehe, coming from a very large family some of these little snippets are based on real life events, minus the whole drifting in space and presence of sociopathic killers of course. ENJOY!**

**Sabrina1204-like your way better, made more sense lol, hope you get a few chuckles out of this one, and by the by I got a doozy up my sleeve for the run in with Serenity, just you wait….**

**Carcrafter7-totally appreciated your honesty, and as I've said I agree in some ways, started your AU, just might take me a week or so : )**

**Pyrobabe7713: Thanks! It happens a lot, as we all saw in BnB my stories have a tendency to head off where so ever they please without even so much as a by your leave. Lol**

**CGandJaz: Welcome to the wonderful world of my insanity and thanks so much for your reviews! I'm a big Rayne fan myself and keep an eye out for something along those lines in the near future from me.**

**UBER THANKS TO GM_ANDY FOR HIS DARK FURY TRANSCRIPT, WITHOUT WHICH THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE.**

**Without further ado, you know the deal, ain't none of it mine, except a sparkling of what I hope is witty conversation.**

**RJRJRJRJRJRJRJRJRJRJRJR**

**_Twelve hours post escape…_**

"Are you shittin' me? That's all we got? Survival pills?" Jack asked suspiciously eyeing the large circular red pill River dropped onto her hand.

"Beats starvin' to death kid," Riddick shrugged tossing his back.

"The Riddick is correct, death by starvation is," she paused and frowned, "unpleasant."

"How long 'til somebody finds us?" Jack asked still eyeing her pill critically.

"Don't know kid, depends." Riddick pushed down his goggles, and leaned back in the pilot's chair, propping his legs up on the console, "Just gotta wait."

"Depends on what?" She pushed.

"How the in the gorram hell should I know? Depends on how long it takes the next ship to go by, go to sleep kid."

"River?" Jack asked expectantly.

River frowned, "It is unreasonable to assume the girl is able to calculate the length of time before rescue or aid is received."

"Yeah but ain't you a psychic? Can't ya just look?"

"The girl is not a psychic she is a reader, predictions are precise calculations of statistical probabilities using observed psychological, sociological, and conscious thought patterns."

Jack quirked her eyebrow and looked to Riddick for interpretation.

"Means she reads people's minds and guesses what they're gonna do," he smirked.

"The girl does not guess, she calculates," River snapped.

"But you don't _know_ so it's a guess."

River frowned, "The girl is never wrong, therefore it is not a guess, it is the solution of an equation she has successfully solved."

"Just 'cause you ain't been wrong before doesn't mean you won't be ever, still a guess," Jack pointed out.

River's frown deepened into a scowl.

"So can you make a guess?" Jack tried again.

"The girl does not guess." River hissed.

"Find," Jack rolled her eyes, "Can you calculate?"

River let out a sigh, "Given the current price of fuel, the average traffic flow through the shipping lanes, the probability of a ship passing near enough for our skiff to register on their scanners and the crew not being in cryo sleep, then factoring in the import and export needs of nearby inhabited systems, the girl believes three to five weeks. The water supply will empty in seventeen days and the survival pills will last for fifteen days, if the skiff temperature is lowered to ten degrees Celsius, the maximum survival rate without water is ten days, therefore rescue must occur within the next twenty five days or we shall die of dehydration."

"Sorry I asked." Jack sat back glumly.

River frowned and placed a comforting arm around Jack, well she hoped it was comforting, comfort was not something she had been trained in, "As _my_ Jack has pointed out, it is only a guess and may be flawed."

"Thought you didn't guess," Riddick smirked, to which River scowled, "What?" He asked.

**_Twenty seven hours post escape…_**

"I'm so fucking bored!" Jack whined.

"Ain't been more than a day kid, get used to it."

"What? It's only been a day?"

"Twenty seven hours, forty six minutes, and five seconds." River corrected.

Jack snorted, "Guess I don't have to worry 'bout dying from dehydration 'iffin' boredom gets me first."

Riddick chuckled, "Ain't that bad kid."

River frowned, "Death by boredom not possible, insanity yes, boredom no."

"Wanna play a game?" Jack asked looking hopefully at Riddick.

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Why not, ain't like you got anything better to do?"

"No."

"River?"

"Don't wanna play with her kid." Riddick smirked.

"Why not?"

"She's a reader Jack, she cheats."

"The girl does not cheat." River said indignantly.

"Bullshit, how else do you explain twenty three games of chess?"

River smiled, "The girl is a genius."

Riddick snorted.

**_Twenty seven hours, five minutes post escape…._**

"I spy…"

"A carbon convertor," River yawned.

"You said you weren't gonna cheat!" Jack accused.

River looked up innocently, "The girl did not cheat."

"I didn't even give you the clue, 'iffin' you didn't cheat how the hell did you know what it was?"

River frowned, she needed to pay more attention.

Riddick chuckled from the pilot's chair, "Told ya kid."

"This sucks." Jack let out a dramatic breath.

**_Forty hours post escape…_**

"Jack," Riddick warned.

"I know what I'm doin'." She shot back, her head ducked into an access panel.

"Don't think you should be touchin' shit, just wait for River to get up."

Jack indignantly pulled her head out, craning her neck up to look at the standing form of Riddick, "Not all of us need the super genius to double check our work."

"Watch it girl," he growled.

"'Sides almost done," She ducked her head back into the panel, "Just gotta twist these last two.." Jack's words were cut off by the sudden jolt of electricity which shot through her body, "Fuck," she swore as the onboard lights began to die and they were plunged into complete darkness.

"Jack…" Riddick growled.

**_Forty hours twelve minutes…._**

The onboard lights hummed to life as River pulled herself from the access panel, "Please consult the girl before further attempt at electrical repair is initiated.

"Told her," Riddick said with a smirk.

River scowled at him.

"What?" He asked.

"The Riddick should not have allowed _our_ Jack to injure herself."

"What?" He growled, "I told her not to fuck with shit while you were sleepin', ain't my fault she didn't listen."

River continued to scowl at him, "The Riddick should have stopped her, he is lucky the girl named Jack only mildly shocked herself, had she crossed the wrong wires total electrocution would have occurred, and the resulting surge would have blown all power on the skiff, we would have a deceased cub and a nonfunctional skiff."

Jack giggled.

Riddick growled, still not seeing how any of it was his fault.

"The girl is returning to sleep again," she pointedly glared at Riddick, "the Riddick and the girl named Jack will behave and refrain from touching things they should not."

"I didn't touch shit!" Riddick growled.

Jack laughed harder.

**_Fifty seven GORRAM hours post escape…._**

"Please?" Jack begged

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"Fuck Jack, my answer ain't gonna change," Riddick barked.

"Can go on all day and night Big Bad might as well say yes." Jack smirked.

Riddick answered her smirk with one of his own, "Girl, remember who you're fucking talking to, you can sit there and please all you want with those goddamn puppy dog eyes, ain't gonna change a thing, puppy eyes don't work on Richard B. Riddick."

**_Fifty eight hours, forty seven FUCKING minutes post escape…_**

"Please."

"No."

"Please."

"No."

"Please."

"FUCK JACK! NO!" Riddick snarled and stood up to stomp away, only to be thwarted by a metal wall after ten feet. He growled at it.

"Please, please, please, please, please, pppllllleaaaseeee!"

Beneath his goggles Richard B. Riddick had the very first eye twitch of his life.

"Violence is unacceptable," River chided her from a pile of wires and components she had deemed unnecessary to the operation of the skiff. Riddick however wasn't so sure, it was a pretty small ship, there was no way there were that many "unnecessary" parts.

River glared at him for his thoughts.

**_Sixty GORRAM MOTHER FUCKING RUTTIN' hours post escape…_**

"I spy…"

"Metal."

"You're not even trying Riddick," Jack whined.

"Well, I don't know Jack, to my right, a fucking metal wall, to my left, a fucking metal wall, in front of me, a goddamn metal wall, behind me, oh wow, somethin' fucking new, a goddamn metal wall with a fucking window, ain't nothin' else to spy Jack!" He snapped.

"Jeeze, Big Bad who pissed on your survival pill this morning?"

Riddick growled.

"Finished!" River announced moments before Riddick put the girl through one said metal wall.

"What is it?" Jack eyed the cylinder shaped contraption with skepticism.

"A waste processor," River said proudly.

"Ain't drinking piss girl," Riddick growled.

"What?" Jack asked incredulously.

"The human body can sustain itself without food for a maximum of forty two days if it has water."

"So you're saying drinking our own piss buys us an extra month?" Jack asked eyebrow raised.

"Correct."

"Fuck that, if we're stuck on this boat for that long I'll just shoot myself." Jack snorted.

"Impossible, the girl used the last of the bullets."

"Fine I'll slit my wrists then, point is I'm not drinkin' my own piss."

River frowned, "It is no longer urine once it has been processed."

"Piss is piss girl," Riddick rumbled, "I'm with Jack on this one."

River scowled at the pair of petulant faces. "Fine, the girl will no longer waste her time on trying to keep _her _ Riddick and _her_ Jack alive."

"Good, why don't you put them parts back where you found them then." Riddick told her.

"They were unnecessary."

"Ain't nothin' unnecessary on a twelve foot skiff girl." He growled.

"Are you questioning the girl?" River growled back.

Jack took a step away.

"Ain't questionin' I'm tellin'."

"The Riddick is tellin' the girl?" She cocked an eyebrow.

"Ain't repeatin' myself girl."

River shrieked a torrent of Mandarin so colorful Riddick actually took a step back, "The Riddick wants the ship put back together so badly," She raised the recycler above her head and smashed it to bits on the floor, "He can do it himself!"

Riddick growled.

"_Bi zui _(shut up)! The girl will kill you with her brain."

"Wait?" Jack interrupted, "You can do that?" She asked wide eyed.

River leveled her gaze on Riddick, "Do. Not. Test. Her."

**_Seventy five hours post escape…._**

Riddick leaned back in his chair, and for the fourth time in two days began mentally cataloging everything in the shift which could be used as a makeshift weapon should the need arise, while River and Jack sat cross legged on the floor playing a game of Cat's Cradle, with one of his bootlaces.

"River, how many ways can you kill a man with a cup?" He asked swinging his chair around.

"Metal, glass, plastic, or foam?" She asked absently eyeing an evil string she could not bypass.

"You can kill a man with a foam cup?" Jack asked.

"Theoretically, but the girl has never tried, there is _always_ a more efficient instrument of death than a foam cup."

"Huh," Jack shrugged.

Riddick was a mite curious as to the theory behind death by foam cup, but since they didn't have any foam cups on the skiff he stayed with the relevant, "Metal."

"Four," River answered without thinking.

"That's it?"

"Four main methods, the rest are all derivatives of the first."

"So how many with the derivatives?"

"Eighty seven."

"Huh," Riddick swiveled his chair back around.

"The girl will explain death by foam cup when the cub is otherwise engaged." River answered his unspoken thoughts.

"Hey! Thought you were gonna train me." Jack pouted.

"The girl will keep her promise, but death by foam cup is inappropriate, when you are older the girl will teach you."

"So what? 'Cause I'm fifteen it's okay to kill people in some ways but not in others?" She snorted.

"That is correct."

"That doesn't make any sense," Jack shook her head.

Riddick had to agree that it didn't make any sense either, but he had just gotten back on River's good side since the recycler incident and wasn't willing to cross the line again so soon.

"The Riddick is learning," River said with a smirk.

Riddick snarled.

**_Eighty nine hours, Eighty nine FUCKING hours…_**

"…the standard commutation rule for the creation and annihilation operators of a harmonic oscillator…"

Jack's eyes began to glaze over, for the last three and a half hours River had been giving a lesson in quantum radiation, she risked a glance at Riddick, whom she highly suspected was sleeping beneath his goggles and she hated him for it.

"The Riddick is not sleeping." River corrected her.

"Who said anything 'bout sleepin'?" Riddick asked.

"The girl named Jack assumed the Riddick found quantum radiation as unimportant as she did."

Riddick snorted. "You wanna pilot don't ya?"

"Not anymore," she whined, "Just shoot me."

"Suicide is an unacceptable method of avoidance towards one studies," River frowned, "The girl named Jack has much to learn."

Jack groaned.

**_One hundred-two FUCKING hours post escape…_**

Poke.

"What kid?" Riddick looked up from his monitors.

"Nothin'."

He quirked an eyebrow but turned back to his screens.

Poke.

"What Jack?" He rumbled, this time not bothering to look up.

"Oh, nothin'."

Poke.

"GODDAMN IT JACK WHAT?" He growled.

"Jeeze, no need to yell, standin' right next to you."

Riddick let out a frustration breath, "What do you need kid?" He asked through gritted teeth.

"Nothing." She smiled sweetly.

Growling Riddick turned back once more to his monitors, River, let out a sigh, and prepared to intervene.

Poke.

"JACK!" Riddick roared, followed by, "FUCK!" as he slammed his head into a control panel as he stood up.

Jack giggling hysterically dove immediately behind River.

"Fuck that Jack! Ain't no hidin' behind River." He snarled.

"Oh what ain't like you're goin' actually do anything to me anyway, River wouldn't let you."

"Wanna test that theory Jack?" Riddick asked pushing his goggles up.

Jack actually did not want to test the theory, and River thankfully intervened, "Violence towards one's pack mates is unacceptable."

Riddick growled.

"Ohhh, so scared Big Bad's gone all growly." Jack teased.

River fixated her glare on Jack, "The girl named Jack is not helping, it is unwise to provoke your alpha."

Riddick smugly smirked and took his seat, "Damn fucking straight."

River rolled her eyes.

Poke.

"GODDAMN IT JACK!" Riddick roared.

**_One hundred seven hours later….._**

Poke.

"What Riddick?" Jack cracked one sleepy eye open, "We've been saved yet?"

"No kid, it's nothing, go back to sleep."

Jack yawned and rolled over.

Poke.

"What Riddick?" She half snarled.

"Nothing kid," he chuckled.

She pulled the blanket over her head muttering.

Poke.

Jack growled from beneath the blanket.

Poke.

"GODDAMN IT RIDDICK, I GET IT, IT'S NOT FUCKING FUNNY, LET ME GO THE FUCK TO SLEEP!" She snapped.

"Actually kid," He laughed, "it really is."

River rolled her eyes.

**_One hundred nine hours later…._**

"If the Riddick pokes the girl he will be short one finger." River said absently without opening her eyes.

Wisely Riddick retreated.

_One hundred twenty hours later…_

"Goddamn it Jack, shut the fuck up!" Riddick barked.

"Well excuse me for tryin' to pass the time, I'll just go back to counting fucking holes in the grating!" She snapped back.

"What did I say Jack? What? Shut the fuck up that's what."

"Oh go to hell Riddick!"

"ENOUGH! The girl has had enough! She will kill you both with her brain!"

Jack snorted, "Ain't even possible."

River swung around in her chair.

"Thought violence was unacceptable," Riddick smirked at her.

River released an ear rupturing shriek.

"Still here," Jack grimaced, "Deaf mayhap, but still breathin'."

"The girl was not trying to kill you with her brain; she was merely demonstrating her frustration with the two children aboard the skiff!" She snapped.

"Sure you was," Riddick smirked, "bet you really can't kill with a foam cup neither." Riddick had to do a double take, one of River's shivs implanted itself into the wall next to his head, he hadn't even seen her pull it, damn _his_ girl was good.

"Say that again." River challenged, getting up from her chair and standing directly in front of Riddick.

"Said you can't kill with a foam cup," he growled at her.

River planted her booted foot into _her _Riddick's knee cap.

"FUCK!" He swore, losing his balance in the small space he fell over cracking his head against a pipe as he fell.

"Did you kill him?" Jack asked toeing the unconscious form of Riddick.

"Negative, he will sleep and the girl will have her peace."

"Um, think he's bleeding."

River looked down and swore.

**_One hundred ten hours later…_**

"Shit," Riddick groaned, rubbing his head, "What the fuck happened?" Why in the hell did his head and his knee hurt so bad.

"The Riddick tripped and fell, he should be more careful," River told him, a feigned look of concern on her face, and again she hoped it was concern, she would need to work on that.

Jack bit back her lip and turned away to avoid outright laughing.

Riddick looked from one girl to the other, something wasn't right, what the hell was there to trip over, and then, it all came back. "Fuck River, I thought you said violence was unacceptable!" He snarled.

**_One hundred twenty hours later…._**

"I wish we would get picked up, I wish we would get picked up, I wish we would get picked up, I wish we would get picked up…"

"What the hell are you goin' on about kid?" Riddick quirked an eyebrow.

"I've resorted to wishing on stars, since there's about a bajillion of them out there anyway, and ain't like there's anything else to look at." Jack sighed.

Riddick smirked, "Only been ten days Jackie-girl, got to work on your patience."

Jack snorted, "Oh and Mr. I'll-snap-your-neck-if-you-don't-stop-staring is gonna be the one to teach me."

Riddick growled.

"You are only furthering the girl named Jack's point." River chimed.

**_One hundred thirty seven hours…_**

"Hull breach contained, engines operating at one hundred and seventy percent." A cold mechanical voice declared.

"The girl knows this," River growled at the speaker next to her.

"What the hell did they hit us with?" Jack asked, yelling over the blaring alarms, as she strapped herself in.

River's fingers were frantically flying across the console, trying to force more power to the already overloading engines, "Retraction claw." She answered flatly.

Riddick growled as his fingers' matched River's pace.

"Engine and hull failure imminent under current parameters." The voice announced.

"Shut the fuck up!" Riddick snapped at the computer putting his fist through the speaker on his side.

"Violence against her will not encourage cooperation." River scolded him without risking a glance in his direction.

"Critical systems failure in five seconds…four seconds…"

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, piece of crap, give me somethin'!" Riddick snarled at the controls.

"Three seconds…"

"Fuck!" He growled.

River began to power down the ship.

"Two seconds… one second…"

The skiff's lights went dark.

"First you're a boy, and then you're a girl, and now a fucking psychic, careful want you wish for girl." Riddick said looking back at Jack. His attention then turning to River, who sat, head tilted and eyes glazed over.

"Unidentified craft, state your purpose and contents." Jack jumped as a voice blared over their comms.

"A savage place! As holy and enchanted, As e'er beneath a waning moon was haunted, By woman wailing for her demon-lover ! _The Kubla Khan_," River whispered, "She wants, she knows, soaked in blood that never touches her, soaked in blood that never runs, perversion, sadism, violence is beauty, art painted in death and frozen forever in time."

"Well that didn't sound at all ominous did it?" Jack quipped.

"Unidentified craft, state your purpose and content." The voice came again, more agitated this time.

"What's our options?" Riddick asked River.

"None, we must play her game for now, her game," River paused a small smirk forming at the corner of her lips, "our rules."

"Unidentified craft, state your purpose and content."

"They know who we are baby?" Riddick asked.

She nodded, "They assume, the Riddick's voice will confirm."

"Might as well play along then." He smirked.

"Unidentified craft, state your name and purpose."

Riddick smirked at River before hitting the comm. to reply, "Name's Johns, ship got scrapped on a transport run, only other survivors are onboard with me, 'sides that we got shit."

"They will find your lies," River whispered.

"Tell me, Mr. Johns," The voice came back over the comms, full of smug satisfaction, "What brings you to this lonely corner of space?"

"I'm a bounty hunter," Riddick smirked, and Jack had to bite back a giggle, it just sounded so wrong coming out of his mouth.

"Than it appears we have something in common." The voice answered back.

The skiff jolted. "They're reelin' us in!" Jack felt her chest tightened.

River released her harness and went to stand in front of Jack, "The girl will not allow harm to come to _her _Jack, the girl named Jack must believe this. Does she believe this?"

Jack looked up into River's eyes which were set with a firm and calm resolution, and she nodded.

"Jack, how long can you hold your breath?" Riddick asked.

Her head snapped up to Riddick, "Dunno, why?"

"'Cause we're about to find out."

"The girl named Jack will stay close." River told her.

"Real close," Riddick added as he flicked opened a lighter, "in fact until further notice consider yourself River-girl's shadow, it's me their lookin' for, let's let 'em think you're just a couple of skirts." He smirked.

River snorted, frankly she was offended. On one hand it was decidedly in her favor that her bounty listed no crime or information on her "talents", on the other it was insufferably infuriating that no one ever saw her as a threat. She was River M. Tam, empath, government trained, biogenetically enhanced, assassin not some _bed dan_ (idiot) skirt.

"Easy River-girl," Riddick chuckled as he held the lighter up to the skiff's fire sensor, "promise you'll get to play too, ain't gonna make you sit on the sidelines, their game, our rules." A warning sensor wailed, "Hold your breath."

**RJRJRJRJRJRJRJRJRJRJJR**

_**Endnote: hehehehehehe, couldn't resist.**_

'_**Til after now.**_


	10. Chapter 10

**UBER THANKS TO GM_ANDY FOR HIS DARK FURY TRANSCRIPT, WITHOUT WHICH THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE.**

**A/N:**

**Carcrafter7: Thanks :D, believe it or not that last update went through about five rewrites and I wasn't particularly sure about it when I posted it so glad to know after everything was said and done it came out well.**

**Sabrina1204: LOL I love the idea!!!! It would be truly epic, probably not with Chillingsworth but you got the wheels turning for a future event, hehehehe you're the best girl.**

**DemolitionV: Hehehehehehe…. *POKE*. Jayne is my favorite Firefly character (next to River of course) had to show him a little love. Thanks for the review.**

**Sorry this one took so long guys, work is insanely busy and one stupid little freakin' dumb ass detail held the entire update up, which is why I think I also got distracted with Whispers, but I digress, thanks for your patience. Ya'll ROCK.**

**O0O0O0**

"Report." Junner ordered as soon as the bay doors had sealed.

"Two heat signatures, adult. There's some residual, could be a juvenile, more likely engine burn off."

"Find out." He snarled.

"Running a tighter scan… wait a minute."

"What is it?" Junner demanded.

"It's the sweep. According to what I'm getting, they're gone, ain't nothin' in there puttin' off heat sir."

Junner growled.

**O0O0O0O0**

Jack cried out as the extinguishing foam reached her waist, the intense cold felt like a thousand needles scraping against her skin, she never knew cold could burn. A heartbeat before utter panic set in she felt River wrap a hand around hers, and she turned her head to find her staring intently.

"Breathe, focus." River ordered gently, but firmly.

Jack nodded and closing hers eyes forced three deep slow breathes in and out of her lungs.

"Get up on the one of the seats girl," Riddick growled out, "Keep breathing like that deep and slow, right 'fore you go under and take your last breath breathe out all the air in your lungs, don't fill up all the way, gotta leave room to let your body relax, and don't try to hold air in your cheeks, body has to exhale the air in your lungs to get to the air in your cheeks, _dong ma?_" Riddick knew he probably should have tried to sooth the girl, but there was no time for that, he was pissed at himself for not beginning her training while aboard the skiff. Combat training would have been impossible but survival training, such as holding your breath could have been done, though it wasn't exactly like he could have predicted that he would need to drown them in extinguishing foam.

"_Dong wo_ (I understand)." Jack nervously shook her head.

"Keep hold of the girl's hand," River told her stepping up and onto the chair, "when your air runs dry, squeeze."

Jack nodded again, not trusting her voice and damning herself for being so afraid, she didn't want to be a liability, and right now, that's all she was.

"The girl named Jack is wrong." River corrected her thoughts, "Breathe, now."

**O0O0O0O0**

The airlock tunnel echoed with the sound of clanking metal, the magnetic boots of the team of mercs following Junner toward the holding dock. "Anything?" He demanded to one of the two guards standing post near the airlock door.

"No sir. No one's been in or out since I locked it down myself. Zero atmo."

"Pressurize."

"Yes sir," the merc smirked, and punched in a series of numbers onto the control panel.

"We've got O-2 sir, air's thin but you'll be able to breathe. We are green for breach."

"Earn your keep." Junner snarled, and the team of mercs moved in fanning out in all directions around the skiff. Junner entered the bay last, casting a disapproving glare at one of the hired guns who'd allowed a bullet to slip from his fingers, "There is a man inside this vessel who is something far worse than anyone here has ever encountered."

River mentally snorted, listening to the pale man's thoughts, _Liu kou shui de biao zi he hou zi de ben er zi (_stupid son of a drooling whore and monkey), she swore silently, if only he knew.

"Should you survive this day it is one you shall remember for the rest of your life. Do not underestimate the importance of such a thing." He smirked, "Begin."

The hacker was the first to move, running forward and launching himself from the walkway and into the gravity-less bay.

Once more River mentally snorted, as she watched through her mind the man drift off at the wrong angle and he had to push off the clamps to redirect himself, she repressed the urge to laugh when she caught the thoughts of one of the female merc's who thought he looked graceful.

She felt the moment the patch hit the hatch door, hearing the whispers of electronic pulsing, the foam had just claimed the girl named Jack's head, and River redirected her focus to monitor the cub, who was doing her very best to not panic. _Her _Riddick was no longer present, the beast had been uncaged and unchained, the man merely a shadow in his mind. Oddly enough the beast's thought processes soothed her, there were no complications in its mind, the beast was black and white, protect _his _girls, kill everyone else, there was no middle ground, there was no mercy, just snarling fury at those would dared to try to chain them.

The door burst open.

The sudden explosion ripped them from the skiff, River's hand held Jack's in a vice like grip, as the screams of the first three mercs to get sucked into the foam died quickly, crimson stains tarnishing the milky white sphere.

"It's a trap!" Junner roared, "Fall back, everyone fall back!"

Jack had tried to hold out for as long as she could, but the burn in her lungs drown out all other thoughts and sensations, her body betrayed her mind's will and without realizing what she was doing she released River's hand and fought her way to the surface of the foam sphere. Her head broke free and she gratefully sucked in a deep breath of fresh air, or as fresh as a zero grav cargo bay provided anyway.

A moment later she felt herself being ripped back below the surface of the sphere by her ankle, a spray of bullets slamming into the foam where her head had been just seconds before. River's head broke through next, a quick gasp of air and she vanished beneath the foam once more renewing her grip on Jack's arm.

With a snarl the beast broke free, taking with him two mercs, and kicking another into the wall, using the gravity less environment to his advantage he kicked off said wall, a second later launching himself at the two who had dared to fire on _his_ cub. His arm flashed out, slitting the throat of one and grabbing for his gun. The feel of cold metal in his hands was unnatural, the beast did not approve, there was no skill or glory in shooting a man down, no satisfying rush of a blade slicing through flesh, guns cheapened death. The man inside was still present enough however to know there were too many to take down with shivs alone, shivs required proximity and _his_ girls were in danger, proximity required time and precision, he would not stake the lives of _his _pack for the selfish satisfaction of a shiv.

He took out the second merc with his stolen weapon, spinning on heel to spray a line of fire cutting down the two female mercs, which the man, idle, had a chance to think to himself had it not been for their scent he would have mistaken them for men.

The beast however was fully occupied as he drove the stock of the weapon into the throat of another one, before tossing it uselessly to the ground and spinning out, a spray of blood forming a scarlet ribbon around him in the gravity less environment as his shiv tore through a throat. Not missing a step, he propelled himself up the ramp, taking down another and using the stinking body as a shield against the hail of fire raining down on him.

"You certainly know how to make an entrance," Junner smirked more to himself than Riddick, safely above the fray.

"That's nothing you stupid son of a bitch! Just wait he's gonna kick your ass so hard…" Jack's voice trailed off as River ripped her back beneath the cover of the foam sphere, the thoughts of the pale man assaulting her suddenly, he wanted _their_ Jack.

The screams of the dying merc's echoed through the hold, the beast was ruthless, savage, it had been too long since the man had let him out to play, he would savor it.

River felt the pale man's intentions, her body shaking with rage, he was going to use _their _Jack, he was going to point a weapon at _their _cub. Unacceptable.

Jack was squeezing River's hand, her air was running low, she shouldn't have wasted her last surface on throwing insults, _damn it,_ she was a fucking moron. River was not allowing her to surface either, which meant something was going wrong. Was it Riddick? Had he been hurt? Jack's heart clenched as fear radiated throughout her body. River should have been helping him, not stuck inside the bubble of death babysitting her. Panic set in as guilt rocked through her body, using up the last of her air reserves, she broke free and made for the surface.

The surge of relief lasted only a second before she felt the brute force of a boot being driven into her body and she went sprawling.

Jack tried to push herself back up but was knocked down again, she fought the urge to throw up as the cold steel of a blade pressed against her forehead. Swallowing hard she looked up and into the barrel of a gun attached to said blade. Vaguely, she would remember later thinking, _what kind of asshole puts a sword on his gun, probably overcompensating._

Junner cleared his throat, causing the beast to pause, one hand wrapped around a man's throat, his other gripping a shiv which dripped with blood, dead bodies drifted in the air around him. The beast snarled.

River choose that moment to make her presence known and launched herself from the foam sphere, one leg out stretched as she planted her boot into Junner's chest, the momentum of her strike knocking him down, "Flee!" River screamed at Jack who dove head long back into the safety of the foam sphere.

The beast smirked, and with a violent twist snapped the merc's neck.

Junner had recovered, less his gun blade, and was now locked in hand to hand combat with one very pissed off River. The beast was about to lunge at the fucker himself, when a new scent drifted past his nostrils, his head snapped up, to view a figure cloaked in white above on a ledge. He took a running leap launching himself off one of the clamps to reach the bitch.

"Full gravity." The cold feminine voice commanded and the computer obeyed, sending the beast slamming back to the ground. The foam sphere burst, sending a wave of extinguishing fluid out in all directions.

Jack's sudden yelp caused River's attention to falter and she took a hard hit to her jaw which sent her flying, head slamming against the skiff. Junner took the opportunity to regain his weapon, and planted a booted foot into River's ribs as she tried to push herself to her feet, the blow to her head had left her disoriented, but Junner was not a fool, and after the satisfying kick, the stock of his gun completed the job the first blow to her head had started and River fell completely limp against the bay floor. Satisfied she was unconscious he pressed the tip of the blade against her temple, using enough force to pierce the skin.

The beast snarled getting to his feet, forcing the breath that had been knocked out of him back into his lungs, "Call off your lap dog, 'fore him trying to impress you gets him killed." Rage flaring as the scent of _his_ girl's blood filled his nostrils.

"Am I so obvious?" The woman seemed amused.

"Call it what you want, but tell him to stand the fuck down now." The beast snarled breaking through as the man began to reign him in, unconsciously his grip on the shiv in his hand tightened, six weapons were within reach, the piece of shit was less than thirty feet, only real question was, which part of his body he wanted to drive the shiv through, fucker was gonna die, ain't nobody makes one of _his_ bleed.

"You'll have to excuse Junner's excitement." The woman spoke calmly, stepping forward as she did so, "It sometimes makes him a touch quick. Though I can't say I blame him, you see, it's just that he's heard so much about you Riddick. Yes, I know your name, quite a bit more about, I think."

"Careful," Riddick growled, "you might just find what you're looking for," the growl turned quickly into a snarl as his gaze drifted sideways at the sound of a tiny moan, River was coming around.

"I'm willing to share of course, that is if you are willing to surrender your weapon before any more of my apparently over paid associates come to an untimely end."

"Hmm, ain't gonna happen," Riddick growled, Jack's fear was heavy and thick in the air, agitating him further.

"No?" The woman continued to seem amused as she nodded her head toward Junner who tightened his grip around the trigger, a move Riddick did not miss.

"The girl is nothing to me," the lie physically hurt him to speak, but it was vital none the less.

"Then enlightened me," the woman stepped forward further, pressing down on the broach of her cloak. Riddick watched unimpressed as it mechanically folded in on itself, revealing a skeleton of a woman, all perfume and painted beauty, the beast snorted, he liked his women dirty and blood stained, with a healthy dose of insanity. This bitch certainly had the insanity part goin' for her, but there was an offness to her scent, something inherently wrong with it, unnatural. The beast bristled back in repulsion, while Riddick audibly snarled to demonstrate his disgust. "Enlighten me as to why a killer such as yourself would go through so much trouble to keep the likes of," she paused to sneer at the two girl's on the floor, "those, alive? Unless of course," she smirked, "you've grown attached."

Riddick reached out his senses, listening to the steady rhythm of _his _girls' heartbeats, Jack's was erratic, but River's had just picked up a notch or two, she was awake, she was waiting. "Just a cover story," Riddick smirked, pushing himself fully up to his feet, "Nothin' more, you'd be doin' me a real favor by killin' them both now."

"Then I have your blessing," The woman smirked, nodding her head once more towards Junner.

On her cue Riddick spun around his shiv hitting its mark on the stock of Junner's weapon. His sudden surprise giving River the opportunity she was waiting for, her legs shot out wrapping around Junner's and she twisted hard jerking him to the floor. River kicked herself to her feet and ripped the shiv from the gun stock, spinning round and dropping low, she scraped it gently against Junner's throat.

"The girl would kill you now, but her alpha wishes to do it himself," she whispered, half giggling, "The girl however has no qualms taking a measure of pain before hand, so long as she leaves you alive he will be satisfied." The metal blade danced idly along his throat, she reveled at the thin beading of sweat which now coated his forehead, inhaling the scent _her _Riddick enjoyed so much, fear.

Junner's eyes bulged ever so slightly at such a threat coming from such a slip of a thing.

Riddick's dark chuckle filled the hold.

"Fascinating," the woman remarked, "Purge the hold." She ordered, turning her back, pausing at Riddick's sudden snarl. She turned back around, a smile on her lips, "Surrender your weapons, or you will all die."

River growled.

Surprisingly it was Jack that brought her to her senses, "Their game River, our rules," she whispered.

River stood and tossed away her shiv.

The woman laughed, "Lock them down. We're done here."

Riddick snarled as yet another team of mercs filed in, these ones carrying chains and shackles instead of guns and shivs, the beast balked, and then snapped at the bars.

River's tiny hand wrapped around his large bicep was the only thing that stopped him from launching himself at the first one through the door. "Patience," she whispered.

Riddick growled but calmed, his lips brushing against the thin trail of blood along her temple, his tongue darting out along his lips, before he _**allowed **_himself to be pulled away.

"My apologies," Junner spoke quietly, bowing his head as he neared the woman.

She waved him off absently with her hand, "You know how worthless those are to me. You did well."

Junner raised his head at the Lady's praise.

"People die in this line of work Junner, a handful of men, a small price to pay."

"What will you do with him?" Junner asked as they began to walk.

"Slowly, Junner. Have Riddick brought to my conservatory, I have something beautiful in mind."

"And the girl?"

"Which the child or his apparent whore?" The women sneered.

"His whore."

"Inconsequential."

He nodded and began to turn away.

"Oh, and Junner." She halted him.

"Yes, my lady?"

"Unfreeze some more mercs." Her voice cold and emotionless.

Again he nodded and turned on heel.

**O0O0O0O0**

"Jayne!" Mal barked, kicking against the merc's bunk door.

"Gorram it Mal what?" He snapped through the door rubbing the sleep form his eyes.

"Got us a job, need you geared up and ready in twenty."

Jayne's head suddenly shot out from the hatch, "Violence?" He asked hopefully, it been a good long while since he'd had a good tussle, what with Mal and Zoe sticking to safe and legit jobs all to keep an eye out for Crazy. Work was work and he wasn't gonna complain, overly much anyway, but the truth of the matter was the illegitimate brought in a whole lot more coin than the honest jobs did.

"Mayhap, moving some computer equipment from Ferros to Pathos, fellow lookin' to skirt 'round the station fees so he says, more than likely the goods are hot and he ain't wantin' anyone to look too close at the serial numbers, gotta grab the cargo from his warehouse."

"Pathos?" Jayne scowled, it was the fourth job in a row they'd taken to that gorram station all in the hopes Crazy would show up again. "Ain't gonna find her Mal." He half growled knowing full well any time on the station he get to spend some coin on some company would be taken up scratchin' at dead ends over the gorram girl.

"Ain't askin' your opinion."

"There it is anyhap." Jayne shrugged disappearing back into his bunk.

"Mayhap its cause my tracker ain't lookin'." Mal accused.

Jayne immediately reappeared on the ladder, "Gorram it Mal!" He barked, "Been up and down and outside and fuckin' in on that ruttin' station, don't tell me I ain't tryin' to find the gorram girl! There ain't nothin' to find Mal, she's a reader, even 'ifffin' she's back on that station ain't gonna get the jump on her or fuckin' Riddick for that matter, I'm good Mal but there ain't a doubt in my head he's better."

"Monty got the jump on her."

"Yeah and look what happened to 'im," Jayne snorted, "ain't lookin' to get dead Mal, man like Riddick, doesn't like what he's decided is his bein' fucked with, way he's seen it Monty was a message to us, not gonna let the next one of us near her and get away alive."

"And how do you know what kinda man he is?" Mal shot back.

"Christ Mal, he's Richard B. fuckin' Riddick, say he's more animal than man, say he can see in the dark and smell a merc coming from a mile away, man's killed more men than you and you fought in a gorram war Mal, escaped from three, god damn it three maximum security slams, ain't any but a handful can say they escaped one."

"Find her Jayne." Mal growled as a last resort.

"Can't find a reader that wants to be hid," Jayne shot back through gritted teeth for what felt like the millionth time, and just might have well been.

"Raise you to ten percent 'iffin' you find her, that's same as Zoe."

Jayne's mouth opened and closed a few times, ten percent, he mulled it over, ten percent was a whole lotta coin, steady coin too 'iffin' they'd keep steady work, ten percent could pay for better doctors for Mattie, better medicine. "A'right Mal, ten percent."

Mal nodded before walking away, only slightly nervous at telling Zoe he'd just promised Jayne a pay scale equal to her own, ruttin' hell.

**O0O0O0O0**

River couldn't help but feel indignant once more as she watched them strap _her_ Riddick to an immobilization table, while merely shackling her hands. _Her hands,_ not even her ankles, the logical part of her mind told her for this she should be grateful, opportunity in their ignorance, logic aside however, she was still pissed as hell over it.

Jack was surprisingly calm, her eyes took in every inch of the ship as they began walking through it, noticing the twists and bends, making mental notes of landmarks as they walked. Street kid 101, know your surroundings. They might be in chains now, but she knew without a doubt River and Riddick would get them out of it, she wanted to be able to be of some use when they did.

River noticeably balked as they entered the cryo hall, asleep they might have been but their minds ran wild, the unexpected onslaught caused her to stumble, her breath coming in heavy gasps, "Their voices, everywhere there are voices, they scream to be free but lips are frozen, their minds are frozen, the darkest secrets skim the surface," she whispered to herself, forcing her walls back up and into place, she felt Jack press herself against her side, a gesture of comfort, immediately blocking out all thoughts but that of _her _ Jack's. River noted the cub was much better at comfort than she was.

"Riddick," Jack whispered, "Have you ever seen anything like this?"

"Merc ships, sure kid, just trying figure out how it goes together."

"A plantation," River answered her voice leveling out. "Fill the belly of the beast so it does not go hungry, so she may hunt as she pleases."

"Captured bounties on one side, contracted manpower on the other," Riddick finished.

"Insta merc, just add heat," Jack added, disgust apparent in her voice.

"Must be a special kinda desperate dick signs onto this." Riddick smirked eyeing the fat piece of shit walking along next to him, and receiving a blow to his head as an answer.

"Shut up!" The merc ordered.

River and Jack growled simultaneously.

Riddick merely continued to smirk, "You're the exception of course, for you its life experience."

Jack couldn't help but laugh and this time the merc stepped in to take a swing at her, River intercepted, her free leg shooting out and following through with a spinning back kick, she stood resolute between the sputtering merc and _her_ cub.

Riddick's dark laughter echoed and bounced off the rows of cryo tubes, "Ain't smart to fuck with little bit there, River girl will take your balls next."

The merc regained his footing and spit out a mouthful of blood, "You little bitch," he sneered and took a step forward.

"Leave it Jim!" One of the others ordered, "Chillingsworth's got plans, you ain't wantin' to be the reason it gets fucked up."

Jim seemed to see the wisdom in his words and backed down, not before another swift shot to Riddick's jaw of course. "Told you to shut the fuck up."

"Said leave it Jim, this is where they get off anyway." The second merc grabbed Jack roughly by the shoulder, another grabbed River by the back of her neck, not wanting to stand in front of those legs, as nice as they were, he found himself staring.

"The foulness would be wise to cease thinking on the girl's legs, they do not belong to you."

Riddick snarled, lashing out against the shackles as the meaning of River's words hit him, that stupid sack of shit had been _thinkin'_ on _his_ girl's body.

The merc is question laughed, shoving her forward, "Ain't seeing how you're in any position to protest doll."

Riddick was practically foaming at the mouth as River stumbled into Jack.

"We'll find you Riddick!" Jack yelled, "Ain't leavin' without you!"

"Keep her safe River girl," he snarled worried that Jack would do something stupid trying to prove herself, and then he added with a smirk, "And kill the fucker lookin' at your legs, so I don't have to."

River returned his smirk over her shoulder as they were separated, "Beware the prick of a pin, she wishes to be entertained, we will give her a show."

**O0O0O0O0**

**Endnote: Mwahahahahahahahahahahaha……cliff hanger much? I really wanted to keep going on this update, but then I remembered the 12 thousand word update during the pitch black story arc and decided against it, not to mention if I kept going Dark Fury would turn out to be finished in a single update, and finally also because I'm at the laundromat and my clothes are done, lol, have to go get back to real life. Much luv guys, thanks for hanging in there with me, my traffic pages never cease to amaze and astound me.**

'_**Til After now.**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Rachet- lol much luv sorry you had to wait more than a week, hope you enjoy.**

**Celticicegoddess: ty girlie, hope your turkey day was fabulous as well.**

**Solaira- Jayne's gonna become real pivotal real soon, and yup you've guessed it he's pretty gorram sick of Mal right 'bout now.**

**Sabrina1204- Chillingsworth still has no idea who River even is, they never bothered to check the girls once they knew Riddick was Riddick, as far as she's concerned the girls are just a couple of cheap skirts he had along for the ride, and holy rice puffs is she in for the shock of her life. I keep bouncing back and forth between a couple of different enter Serenity moments, but I do know for sure Jayne will be central, a defection is possible but not likely for now, going back and forth between jumping right into CoR or doing a little bit of original in between but it all hinges on which Serenity scenario I finally decide on. Enjoy!**

**ONCE AGAIN UBER LUV TO GM_ANDY FOR HIS DARK FURY TRANSCRIPT.**

**Don't own a thing ain't makin' a single coin or cred…. Just profiting by the shameless ego boost ; )**

**O0O0O0O0O0O**

Riddick was wheeled into an eerily sterile room, blue lighting reflected off the various statues, cold metal and sickly stone, human forms twisted in a perverse parody.

"Set him down and leave," Junner ordered from across the room, his lips curling in disgust. Riddick snarled as the pig faced merc who had hit him released him from the table, cracking his neck to the side, his hands still chained he made his way down the stairs, to inspect a particularly disturbing stone figure. The stone was like hardened flesh, and he felt a perverse need to reach out and touch it. The bronze plate beneath the twisted human read '_Killer of men, Furya'_. Furya, the word itched at something in the back of his mind, and his hand reached out of its own accord and touched the figure's lips, his fingers recoiling as the statue licked him. "What the fuck?" He snarled stepping back, immediately dropping as something was slammed into the back of his neck. "All right, now you have my attention," Riddick growled as the clicking of heels echoed in the room, signaling the bitch's approach.

"A necessary precaution." Her smooth accented voice spoke, "If you attempt anything uncivilized, killing me for instance, I detonate the explosive charge Junner has just implanted and sleep very well tonight." Her words ended with a soft coo.

_Fuck,_ Riddick thought, _River's gonna kill me,_ "You're not putting me on a pedestal."

"Of course not," she laughed at his obvious ignorance, "you are strictly for my private collection."

"The fuck I am," Riddick growled.

**O0O0O0O0O0O0O0**

"You've been reactivated Toombs." A blonde female merc, snapped through the speakers.

Toombs smirked, eyeing the woman and wagging his eyebrows, "Miss me baby?"

She scowled and started the delousing sequence, "Not 'iffin' you were the last thing with a dick alive. Must be something big if they decided to take your ass off of ice after the last shit you pulled."

Toombs barked out a laugh, "Sister, I certainly aim to find out."

She rolled her eyes, "Just get your fuckin' gear and report."

**O0O0O0O0O0**

"River," Jack spoke, shifting her weight, trying to maintain her precarious balance on the large metal ball, while at the same time trying not to choke to death from the neck collar which dangled from the ceiling, apparently, short people had not been taken into much consideration when they designed this particular form of restraint. "When we gonna start the escapin' part of this little adventure?"

"Patience is a virtue." She answered calmly, studying their neck restraints, nothing more than a nylon rope laced through a leather choke, to be honest she was slightly disappointed, she had been hoping for at least a small challenge, though her bound wrists offered a slight obstacle.

Jack snorted in response.

"Can the girl named Jack climb a straight rope?"

"Uh, maybe?" Jack answered sheepishly, "If I could get my hands free."

"The Jack must remain steady."

"Why…holy shit!" Jack scrambled to keep her balance as River landed smoothly next to her.

"Untie the girl's hands."

"A little more warning would have been nice ya know," Jack muttered as she fumbled over the knots on River's bindings, "you think with all the creds this bitch is throwin' around she would have spent a bit more on, oh I don't know, maybe chains instead of ropes."

"The Jack is not happy unless she is complaining."

"Just sayin' is all," Jack defended as she loosened the last knot, looking up as she felt River stiffen, "What?"

"The Riddick did not listen, he has been pricked," River frowned, "A complication."

"Translation?" Jack asked raising an eyebrow.

"The dog has implanted an explosive device into the flesh of _our_ Riddick."

"So, he goes boom if he steps outta line?"

River nodded.

"And I'm guessin' 'iffin' we're gone when the curtain goes up he goes boom too?"

"It is possible, his resulting reaction increases the probability of his demise. Why is it no one listens to the girl?" She sighed, finishing off the knots around Jack's wrists.

"I listen," Jack piped in.

River quirked her eyebrow.

"So how do we go about savin' Big Evil?"

"We play the game," River told her loosening the girl's collar next, "The Jack must remain still, she must seem afraid, they think we are less than we are, the woman wishes a show, and we shall gave her one. Can the girl pull free?"

Jack rolled her neck, testing the collar, "Yeah, won't be a problem," She smirked.

"Good," River nodded before leaping back over to her ball, and Jack couldn't help but be impressed, River had landed easily, without so much as even causing the ball to tremble, she envied that kind of skill. "The Jack will have it one day as well." River told her reaching above her own head and pulling loose the lacing.

"Won't they notice our hands are free?"

"Negative, we are not the show, the Riddick is."

"Doesn't this all seem like a bit much to you? Like we're in some kinda of sci fi vid or somethin'? I mean, we're balancing on balls, roped to the ceiling behind a giant fucking curtain for fuck's sake, and they just implanted Riddick with somethin' that makes him explode."

"And they called the girl _feng le_." River smirked.

Jack barked out a quick laugh, "All their missin' is some crazy monster for Riddick to battle to the death."

"The Jack should be careful what she wishes for," River frowned.

"Oh you gotta be fucking kidding me!"

"Time for a lesson now, tell the girl how many weapons do you see."

"We ain't got shit."

"Look closer, the girl named Jack must pull the pieces apart to find the whole, boot laces are not just boot laces, they are cords, restraints, implements of strangulation, trip wires. The girl must look, every object has a lethal capacity, one must see all angles at once or they will see nothing at all."

Jack thought, she really couldn't see much in the darkness, but the metal spheres they were standing on were large and heavy, it could be used to knock someone down or even just as a distraction, and there were the bootlaces but she doubted she'd have time to unlace them.

"The girl was just using an example, look harder," River responded to her thoughts.

Jack focused, straining her eyes that were just now adjusting fully to the darkness, there were some pipe works off the left and behind them, thin, looked like a good kick or two could break one lose, not much for blunt force, but maybe as a stabbing weapon?

"Good, escape routes?" River urged.

Jack's eyes restlessly scanned her surroundings spurned on by River's encouragement, and eager to prove herself. There was the curtain, but it looked like a ten foot or so climb up a smooth wall, wouldn't work, unless one of the balls could be rolled up against it.

"Better," River beamed with pride, "How else?"

Jack knew she was missing something as she racked her brain, something obvious to, and then it clicked. The device in Riddick's neck, if it could of course be removed, which, sooner or later it was gonna have to come out anyway, why not use it to their advantage when it does? It would have to be timed perfectly, but havin' a reader on your side, that made predictions a bit easier.

"The girl does not predict she calculates." River snorted, "But she is pleased with the Jack's observations none the less."

It was Jack's turn to beam.

**O0O0O0O0O0O0**

"So you go through all the trouble of catching these fucks and this is what you do with them?" He raised an eyebrow.

"You're missing the point Riddick," Her tone was reproachful.

"What point? You got millions of UDs sitting around collecting dust," he snorted, "seems like a waste to me."

"You underestimate their true value Riddick," She purred as her fingers caressed a particularly perverse looking pair, "They are priceless," she paused, admiration mixed with pleasure in her eyes as they began to walk again, "Each at one time, was the most wanted man or woman in the known universe. The number of lives ended at the hands of those living and breathing in this room is incalculable."

"Ain't what I call livin," Riddick growled.

"Just the same," she purred stopping before another statue to cradle its tortured face in her hands, with almost pure reverence, "I assure you they are all very much alive, each one sustained in a form of cryo so profound that seconds seem weeks and to blink an eye is a day's worth of work." She continued to walk, Junner urging him on with a slight shove to which he snarled but moved forward, "The brain however continues to function unimpeded. The mind continues to think and feel swarming with whatever dark thoughts it's trapped alone with, as it will be for hundreds of years to pass." She laughed quietly, "So much more a fitting fate then dropping them off at the nearest Slam. Here they are appreciated for what they truly are, transformed into objects on par with their life's work. And why?" She suddenly spun on him, stopping in front of a large curtained off section, Riddick snapped to attention, beyond that curtain the scents of _his_ girls invaded his nostrils. Two mercs stood guard outside of it, and he resisted the urge to smirk, the pig faced _hun dan_ (bastard) who had hit him, and the one that been thinking on _his _River's legs. "I gave them the audience they so desperately desired, the recognition they bought with the blood of others."

Riddick repressed the urge to snarl, the more the bitch talked the more he realized she was in love with the sound of her own voice, but Riddick however was not, in fact he had begun to amuse himself as her voice droned on with the many different ways he could permanently silence her, ranging from ripping out her vocal cords to pouring acid down her throat.

"I understood their actions, stripped free of moral convention. Don't you see? They are something greater now Riddick, something more than they were before, they are Art." She released a dramatic sigh, slowly bowing her head.

"Lady," Riddick smirked, "Your taste sucks."

"I expected as much," she laughed, "You see Riddick there is a fundamental difference between you and I."

"Yeah, you're a fucking psychopath."

She scoffed at this, placing her hands on his face as she had the statute, "You don't appreciate art," she purred, drawing out her words, "but I believe the reason for this is fundamentally different then what you or anyone else might think. You are an artist."

Riddick recoiled from her grasp like it burned him, the only reason he wanted her scent on him was killing her, but otherwise, the crazy bitch could keep her hands to her fucking self. "Been called a lotta things, never that."

"Junner."

With a nod of his head Junner produced a remote control, and the curtain began to pull back, revealing a darkened pit, Riddick snarled able to make out the forms of _his girls_ bound in the darkness. "You make art, shape it with your bare hands soaked in blood, carved from flesh and bone, not analyze it, but a man like you does not understand such things by a lecture, you must experience it."

"What do you want Lady?" Riddick snarled tired of the sound of her voice, infuriated by what he saw.

"To watch you work. I've spent the latter half of my life observing fantastic things. The work of terrible men, but it has always been after the fact when the moment of bloody creation is cold and has passed, that changes now."

Junner hit another switch on his remote, lighting up the pit.

"'Bout time you showed up Big Bad," Jack called out, her legs slightly wavering.

Riddick continued to growl, his chest vibrating and humming with poorly concealed fury.

"I need to see it Riddick, I need to see it with my own eyes," she purred again, reclining on a chaise as if she was some Roman empress from Earth-that-was, settling herself for the gladiator bouts.

"I get out of here alive and you'll see it again," he snarled, approaching the lounging figure, he bent low and close to her face as she absently sipped off a glass of wine, "this close bitch."

She laughed, teasing his chin with the tip of his own shiv, "No, Riddick. I want your masterpiece," she crooned, tossing his shiv towards the edge of the pit, "an artist cannot work without his instrument."

Riddick straighten himself and turned to pick up his blade, smirking at the pale fucker, "Next time we meet, I'm gonna bury this in your eye." He snarled pushing up his goggles.

"Let him in." The woman ordered.

The two mercs walked forward, Riddick allowing one to slip behind him, he spun, his booted foot connecting solidly with the pig man's head, knocking him to the ground, in the same fluid, graceful movement his shiv found the tender flesh of the second merc's belly, traveling upward, a spray of scarlet kissing his skin.

The pig faced man was on his feet and rushed him, sending them both over the edge of the pit. Riddick twisted as they fell, landing on top of the merc he rolled away into the shadows.

"Thought I told you to kill the one thinkin' on your legs baby," He growled out.

"And the girl believes she warned you against the prick." River shot back defensively.

"Watch out for the fuck whose gonna plant an explosive in your neck would have worked better!" He yelled back, and River scowled out him.

Above them, the lady placed down the control to the explosive charge and picked up a pair of ornate looking opera glasses, "Go ultraviolet." She ordered, and with a deafening boom, the lights went out. In the darkness, two doors hissed opened, one on either side of the pit.

"This is bad isn't it?" Jack asked nervously.

"Give it a minute kid," Riddick answered, as two luminescent tentacled creatures stalked out from their respective prisons. They flashed neon, whether to communicate or intimidate Riddick didn't know and nor did he give a fuck, he was more concerned with the four tentacles each sported, and their spinning core was a new one to him too.

"Oh fuck me," Jack swore.

"What the hell are these things baby?"

"Shrill, of cybernetic origins, genetically and mechanically enhanced, DNA descendent of Earth-that-was squid, again the girl warns him of the pricks."

"Who is she?" The woman asked, a small hint of anger playing on her tongue.

"I am unsure my lady, we assumed she was just a whore," Junner answered curtly.

"It seems we were wrong."

"So it seems my lady," his lips tightened into a scowl.

"It shall be corrected once we have finished here."

"It shall."

Riddick watched with sick fascination as one of the Shrills took a swipe at the merc, its tentacle going dark as it closed in, nearly invisible to, well to everyone one but him, who saw the motion clearly, smirking as the merc's gunfire sprayed uselessly into the air. The creature flashed on again three of its four tentacles coiled around the man's body, squeezing. He let out a scream, and the forth tentacle split apart revealing a stinger. Riddick was actually kinda glad the fucker had tackled him, as he watched the creature inject pig face, even happier as the man began to swell, rupturing with luminescent goo, oozing like a popped boil.

"_Watch the pricks, good to know," Riddick thought to himself._

"Riddick!" Jack screeched in warning, shaking him back into focus, dodging almost a second too late as a long tentacle swept forward.

No sooner had he dodged the first he was forced back and to the side as another struck at him. There was not time to counter, defense as of the moment was his only option, he needed time to observe, to figure their speed, their attacks, he needed a weak point, but most of all he need to get the fucking cuffs off his wrists.

"Anytime now River girl," he growled as he rolled away, nearly avoiding the grasp of one of the creatures. Riddick dodged, cut back, rolled away again, coming up spinning he latched onto one tentacle to avoid being strangled by it, but the creature flicked him away as if his weight was nothing, and Riddick went flying backwards and into a wall.

"Is the Jack with her?" River asked.

"Ain't got a better place to be," Jack smirked.

"Now, go for the gun," River ordered, slipping out of her collar she slide down her sphere, bracing her back on the ground she used her feet to kick out the sphere and send it rolling across the pit, the thud echoing as it slammed into the far wall, just below the ledge. Kicking back up and onto her feet she made for the cluster of pipes.

"Junner," The serene cool tone had left her voice, replaced instead by anger laced with anxiety.

"I shall release another Shrill my Lady."

"I want her name. Now."

"Yes my Lady." He bowed his head slightly, and speaking into his comm, he ordered the release of a third Shrill, and for the girl's voice patterns to be analyzed from the security footage.

Jack escaped her collar slightly less gracefully than River, and made a break for the steaming pile of goo that was once an overweight merc.

"Jack, down!" Riddick barked, and she rolled on instinct narrowly avoiding an open stinger as Riddick lunged at the Shrill which had tried to sting her.

Sick to shit of playing at defense Riddick twisted as the stinger was turned on him, blocking with his shackled wrists the stinger broke through the chains, freeing his hands. He snarled as he spun, his shiv slicing easily through the fleshy tentacle, severing it in half. "Wanna play fucker? Let's play." He snarled at it, flipping the shiv in his hand.

The door directly behind him hissed open, and he didn't need to look to know what was behind it, "Oh, shit."

"Catch!" River called, and he spun on his mark, his hand instinctively shooting up and out, wrapping around a length of pipe.

"Would be nice 'iffin' it had a point on it girl," he growled.

"Can the Jack or the Riddick find nothing to be please about!" She snapped, rolling out of the reach of a flying tentacle and then on her feet once more she side stepped another pinning it to the ground as she rammed a length of pipe through it.

"Aha!" Jack called triumphantly holding up a dripping weapon, followed quickly by, "Ahhhh!" As the newly arrived Shrill wrapped a tentacle around her waist.

"Shoot!" River screamed at her, ripping her pipe back up from the ground she spun in towards the creature low, dodging and ducking through the tangle of tentacles, she leapt up, her leg kicking out high, she landed spinning, using her momentum to carry her strike she drove the length through the creatures spinning core.

"Beautiful, beautiful creatures," The anger was gone again from her voice, this time replaced by awe, as Riddick drove his shiv through the center of the Shrill he had been attacking in nearly the same breath as this strange girl.

"Shrill are an exquisite species." Junner agreed.

She put down her glasses and eyed him critically, "I'm talking about the man and his whore."

Junner snorted, "Apparently she is more."

"So so much more," the lady responded eagerly lifting her glasses once more, the explosive detonator forgotten beside her. "I shall have another mounted pair I think."

Jack fumbled with the slimy weapon, firing a shot blindly she felt the ground rush to meet her, letting out a very unkiller-like screech as the severed half of tentacle still wrapped around her stomach twitched, "Ugh, gross, gross." She scrambled to her feet, "River catch!" She swung the gun at the direction of someone better equipped to use it.

River caught the weapon easily spinning around and leveling it on the final wounded Shrill she fired four quick shots, and silence marred only by the heaving breathing of the trio, as they unconsciously gravitated towards one another. The pack was regrouping.

"Bravo! Marvelous! More than I could have dreamed! I sought one artist and I have stumbled on three, Bravo!" The woman beamed breathless. "The expression, the grace, the sheer violence of it. Exquisite."

The trio looked up an odd and nearly identical expression of seething rage mingled with mild humor playing across their faces.

"This is going to hurt," Riddick complained, as River slid the shiv into his palm.

"It is no more than he deserves, he was warned, perhaps next time he will listen."

"You said watch out for the prick of a pin not a goddamn needle loaded with explosives."

"One would think it would be obvious." River retorted.

Riddick growled but was cut off by Jack's hurried whisper, "Will you guys knock this shit off already, either do it or get mounted, but shut the fuck up." Jack whisper yelled at them both having a pretty good idea how Riddick was going to get the charge out of his neck.

"Such a complete and through performance leaves only one question," the lady continued, not having noticed the exchange going on below.

"Got a feeling we're not gonna like it," Jack mumbled, wishing Riddick would just do it and get it over already.

"Have will I ever have you mounted together to do it justice?" The woman smiled as if she was amused by her predicament.

"Fuck you," Riddick spat out as he brought the shiv to his neck and plunged the tip in.

River moved in the same moment taking off at run she leapt gracefully up onto the metal sphere leaning against the ledge, and swung herself up in one fluid movement.

"What?" Panic set in on the woman's smooth face, "What are you doing?" She dove for the detonator, but River fired, a bullet imbedding itself into the chaise.

Riddick tore the charge from his neck, and examined it with an odd detachment.

"Gonna keep that?" Jack made a face.

River leveled her weapon on the woman, "The girl does not approve on attacks against what is _hers_," She reached forward snatching the detonator and stepping quickly away.

"You bitch! You'll ruin everything," The woman screeched.

River caught a slight movement from the corner of her eye, the shift of the pale man's intention, the slight up tic in his heartbeat, and she spun away, his bullet leaving a smoking hole in the wall behind where she had stood.

"Kill them!" The lady roared, "Now, kill them all!"

Junner fired again, but River was already back over the ledge, a second later, an explosion rocked the ship, "Move!" Riddick barked, stumbling back up to his feet, one hand wrapping around River's arm and the other Jack's as he yanked them both up, the trio disappeared through the newly created door before the smoke had even fully cleared.

"My lady," Junner ventured.

She wheeled on him seething, but her voice remained steady and calm, "We will need to rouse a substantial pursuit force."

"Who?"

That simple question broke what little restraint she had been able to maintain, "All of them!" She roared, "Even the Golls, every man, woman or thing that can hold a weapon! Every last one! Now!" Her heeled foot slamming down on Junner's to drive her point home. "And I want her name."

**O0O0O0O0O0**

Toombs slipped into the deserted control station, he was by no means a stupid man, greedy yes, and admittedly so, but stupid, definitely not. He knew the upheaval going on across the ship meant somethin' big, he just wanted to know how big before he put his dick on the line for it. Sliding into one of the command chairs, he accessed the main computer files, sorting through all of the recent activity. "All right, what's the big deal?" he muttered to himself as his fingers effortlessly danced across the keypad, "Holy jumpin' Jesus! Oh you bald beautiful bastard, come to Papa," he chuckled bringing up the information on one Richard B. Riddick.

"Toombs!" A rough female voice barked, "What the hell are you doin'?"

"Just gathering some intel."

"Yeah well stow it, we got a couple of runners to bring in, shoot on sight."

"Yes sir," he saluted her back with a smirk, ignoring her answering growl.

**O0O0O0O0O0O0**

Jayne sat in the mess, deconstructing and cleaning Vera, she didn't really need it, but he needed something to do with his hands, he was restless, and stuck inside his own head, the last place a man like Jayne Cobb would ever wanna be stuck. Cleaning her gave him something to focus on something to keep his head clear, or at least it usually did. Wasn't doing a damn bit of good at the moment. He was used to not understandin' things, he left the thinkin' to everybody else and just shot where they pointed, but he couldn't for the gorram ruttin' hell of it figure out why everybody else didn't see what was right in front of their faces.

He wanted that ten percent bad, and Mal had said he only got it 'iffin' he brought Little Crazy in, problem was he was thinkin' bringin' her in was a little like turnin' her over to the Blue Hands again. Sure Mal and her brother weren't wantin' to put needles in her brain, they just wanted to stick 'em in her arms, it didn't sit right, not one god damn bit of it. He'd turned her in once, and sworn he'd never do it again, all the girl was wantin' was to stand on her own, couldn't fault her one bit. Mayhap her taste in friends was a bit screwed, but hell he was pretty sure the little bit was just as dangerous as Riddick, kinda made sense they'd find each other in a weird twisted kinda way, 'iffin' ya squinted your eyes and cocked your head to the side.

Jayne figured this was one of the 'moral dilemmas' Book had gone on about, and not for the first time he sorely wished the man was still alive to give him some kinda advice like he'd used to. With a muttered curse Jayne slammed the last piece of Vera back into place and leaned back in his chair, weren't even close enough to WAVE his Ma for advice, which had throughout his life also been his ultimate fall back, when in doubt, ask Ma. At the least she would have sent him a new hat to make him feel better 'bout the whole mess.

He groaned rubbing furiously at his face, they were a day out from Pathos, mayhap a bit less, sooner or later this whole thing was gonna come to a head, 'verse was a big place, but all the places a man like Riddick would run to lay low were all the places Serenity did business in, eventually they would cross paths, a sick feelin' in his stomach told 'im it was gonna be a lot sooner rather than later, and he wasn't lookin' for to Riddick's reaction when he saw River drop at the sound of a certain phrase Simon had made him practice 'til he could say forward and backwards and spinning on his head. In fact the part of him which had kept him alive a lot longer than most men in his profession told him he damn well better be on the opposite side of the 'verse when it happened, but his gut told him he would be stuck right in the thick of it.

"_Ta shi suo you di yu de diao zi de ma!_ (Whores in hell)," Jayne swore quietly, as he began breaking down Vera once more.

**O0O0O0O0O0**

'**Til After Now.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Rachet- Jayne is a bit smarter than people give him credit for especially when it comes down to savin' his own skin. LOL**

**Sabrina1204-LOL, I hear ya about the work thing, I don't think I've had a free moment to breathe lately, and a Jayne defection is looking more and more likely, we should be catching up with our beloved crew either next update or the following one, a few details still need to be worked out and unfortunately they are of the tiny yet story altering variety, but hopefully I'll have it written before Christmas.**

**.- Thanks momma! And I can't wait to read what you got brewin', crossovers have become a bit of an obsession of mine (if you couldn't tell already lol) I'll keep an eye out for it def. May inspiration rain down on you, thanks for taking the time to review.**

**Uber props and love to GM_ANDY without his Dark Fury transcript none of this would have been possible.**

**Don't own a gorram thing, just playin' with kidnapped imaginary friends, since all mine are losers.**

**O0O0O0O0O0O0O0**

"Give me your hand girl," Riddick growled, and as Jack wrapped one of her tiny hands in his monstrous paw, he pulled her forward and released, propelling her though the hallway, currently in a zero grav state.

"Thanks," she called back over her shoulder, she hadn't wanted to ask for help, but was grateful for it none the less. She couldn't figure out how River could move so easily and quickly when they were about the same size.

"The girl named Jack will learn it is how she moves that is important in a gravity-less environment and not the size of the body moving."

Jack snorted, as she had developed the habit of doing whenever River answered her unspoken thoughts and reached out to latch onto Riddick once more and move herself forward.

"River-girl's a show off is all," he told her as he heaved her forward, smirking as River spun through the air after launching herself from a support beam.

"The girl cannot help being the best."

"Don't remember anybody callin' a winner." Riddick chuckled pushing off a wall.

"Winner of what?" Jack asked scrambling through the air.

"Whose the better killer," River giggled, "_our _Riddick's favorite game."

"Figure's," Jack snorted, "but anyways, I'm sayin' River is up, cause she shot that last fucker on the skiff and saved your ass Big Bad, plus she can kill with a foam cup."

"And what about all the fucker's I hacked up? Ain't never seen her or anybody kill with a foam cup anyways, she's probably full of shit." Riddick snapped.

"The girl is not," she sneered, " '_full of excrement'_."

"He's right though, doesn't count 'til we see it." Jack agreed.

River scowled.

**O0O0O0O0**

Toombs landed in something squishy as he jumped down into the pit, "What the hell happened in here?"

"Shut up and take point," his commander, the same woman who had bitched at him about being in the control center, barked out as two others landed on either side of them.

Toombs glanced up and saluted the bitch Chillingsworth, something about the look in the woman's eyes unhinged him slightly, "Grab your panties boys," he rumbled, adding to himself in his head _might need a change 'fore we're through._

**O0O0O0O0**

"What the fuck?" Jack yelled as she was dropped instantly from the air, shooting a look at the pair behind her, who had landed much more gracefully than she had.

"They are coming for us now." River spoke, her head tilted to the side, her eyes glazed and distant, but her head suddenly snapped forward again, "The pack must move, now." She didn't wait for Riddick or Jack to voice their questions, she didn't have time for questions, distance, distance between _her_ pack and what was coming was her only concern.

**O0O0O0O0O0**

Antonia Chillingsworth watched with satisfaction as the Goll handlers lead their charge through the gates. The beast was the pride of her collection of creatures, it's inability to walk overcome by the four massive mechanical legs it stood on, its bloodlust unseen nor matched, and it's resolute commitment to tracking its prey to the kill precisely what she was looking forward to the most. Genetic mutation had become a most fascinating hobby of hers, and the Goll was one of her first successes.

"Scent it!" She commanded from her perch above, and one of the handlers cautiously stepped forward, a swabbing of blood attached to a long pole.

The beast snapped its massive jaws around the swab and roared on its hind legs, sending one of its handlers flying into a wall.

Chillingsworth smiled, "Release him."

**O0O0O0O0O0**

The ship shuddered, a roar reverberating through the tunnel, "River," Riddick rumbled, "Tell me that's not what we're runnin' from."

"The Riddick should not ask questions he does not wish the answer to," She called over her shoulder.

"Pick up the pace Jack!" Riddick barked.

Out of wisdom Jack bit back the retort on her lips, and pushed herself on, the sound of another roar coursing through her veins and chilling her to the core.

**O0O0O0O0O0O0**

"That bitch!" Toombs yelled at the sound of the roar.

"She released the Goll?" His commander asked incredulously.

"What else the fuck did you expect?" Toombs shot back, wonderin' how the hell this broad got command, "Fucker will eat right through us, gotta move boys."

**O0O0O0O0O**

River skidded to a halt when the hallway dead ended.

"What now?" Jack asked between heaving breaths.

Riddick looked up, "We keep moving."

"Ain't no where to fucking go Riddick!" Jack snapped.

"The girl named Jack has forgotten already," River frowned following the Riddick's gaze, "one must see all angles or they see nothing."

Jack turned her attention up the length of the wall, "You gotta be shittin' me."

**O0O0O0O0O0O0**

"My lady," Junner spoke entering the room with his head bowed.

"Have you captured them?" She barked harshly.

"Not as of yet, but I have the information regarding the girl."

"Her name."

"River M. Tam, wanted by private anonymous parties, after a public warrant was revoked, no listing of crimes."

"And the anonymous party?" She asked knowing full well Junner would not have come to her without that information.

"Blue Sun Corporation."

The Lady Chillingsworth leaned back into her chair, a photo of the girl in question appearing on a holo screen before her, "Monitor the security feeds, track them, as soon as the Goll dispenses of Riddick deactivate it, I want the girl alive. Anything on the other one?"

"Real name Audrey Jacqueline Micheals, just a street rat, if she's got anyone left they're not looking."

"Then she's useless."

"Yes my Lady."

**O0O0O0O0O0O0**

"The Jack and the Riddick must climb faster!" River yelled down to them as she felt the mercs close in.

"Pick up the pace Jack!" Riddick barked for the hundredth time, pausing to gauge the distance between him and the girl, _stupid_, he thought, _shouldn't have let her fall so far behind. _

Jack's arms shook under the strain of bearing her own weight, but she continued to force them up and forward, not bothering to waste the energy on a snappy retort.

Riddick heaved himself over the ledge and then rolled, reaching down to extend his arm towards Jack, "Come on girl," he growled, more out of concern than anger.

Toombs halted, silently raising one arm and pointing at the figures above them, he leveled his gun, the others following suit.

Gratefully Jack latched onto Riddick's outstretched arm, her body screaming with relief as he helped pull her up.

"Get her up!" River screeched, a second later gun fire ricocheted off the wall.

Riddick swore as a bullet grazed his shoulder nearly losing his grip on Jack, his free arm swung down and grabbed her by the shirt, yanking her the rest of the way up and over the ledge.

"The Riddick is injured," River dropped to her knees to examine his shoulder.

"Him? He almost tore me in half," Jack bitched rubbing the arm which she had landed on when Riddick tossed her.

"Just a graze baby girl," Riddick reassured her, "ain't a thing, we gotta move," he said pushing himself up.

"Up the wall!" The merc commander ordered, the Goll was closing in on them and if they could kill their prey first, the bitch would shut the beast down, _hopefully_.

"Ain't bein' paid enough for this shit," Toombs bitched as he swung his gun across his back and leapt on and onto the wall.

"Bitch later Toombs, move your ass now!" She barked back at him.

"The cub cannot keep this pace," River said echoing Riddick's thoughts, as they halted.

"We're not out running this thing, not the three of us." he rumbled.

"What? What are you talking about?" Jack demanded between gasping breathes, "I can keep up!"

"Someday kid," he smirked at her, "where the hell are we?"

Jack looked up, "Right below the docking bay."

Riddick quirked an eyebrow.

"Hey I was payin' attention when they dragged us down there, plus you stow away on enough ships, you get to know the underside of a docking bay."

"The cub is right, flight deck is just aft, upper level," River confirmed.

"Stow in here," Riddick growled, dragging Jack over to a small sheltered area, "let what ever's followin' pass, then make for the flight deck. Don't look back," he said pointedly to Jack, "No matter what you hear, you stay on River's ass, _dong ma?_ (understand me)

"What are you going to do?" Jack asked, her voice shaking slightly.

"The Riddick is going to protect his pack," River said, her eyes locking onto his mercurial gaze, "he will return to us."

"Ain't nothin' in the 'verse baby girl," he smirked, his lips grazing against hers, and then turning to Jack, "keep your mouth shut Jack stick close to River, didn't haul your ass off that planet to let you get kilt here."

"Don't make us have to come back down and save your ass Big Bad." She called out after him as he turned to start running.

His answering laugh echoed through the corridor, long after the darkness swallowed him.

"Do not fear for him," River whispered soothingly as they crouched beneath their shelter, "_our _ Riddick is the biggest and baddest monster in the darkness." She echoed his own words to her, smiling ever so slightly as she felt the panic and worry ease from _her_ Jack's mind.

Riddick snarled as the tip of his shiv sliced through the skin of his arm, leaving behind him a screaming trail into the shadows and away from _his _girls.

Toombs came to a halt, as his eyes landed on a pool of blood, something wasn't right, and he scanned the shadows, the blood seemed too obvious a sign to leave behind, especially for someone of Riddick's caliber. However, as another roar echoed behind him, he pushed down the feeling in his gut, and took off following the other three of his crew.

Jack moved to stand, after the last merc had passed on, but River stayed her, "The worst has yet to pass."

Jack was about to open her mouth, but the sudden clanking of metal halted her words, her whole body freezing as the source of the roars came into view. Unconsciously her hand tightened around River's as the beast paused to sniff the ground in the same spot the merc had stopped, letting out another roar as it reared up, "Holy fuck! Riddick's gonna face that alone?" Jack whispered furiously once she was sure the beast was gone.

"The Riddick is capable, this is the only and most efficient course." River spoke softly as she lead Jack across the corridor and towards a wall mounted ladder.

Jack looked unsure, but had began to realize in these matters River usually knew what she was talking about and followed, glancing back over her shoulder every few steps. "Sorry."

"The girl is not at fault for our separation, she will develop the skills necessary to keep pace one day, this girl regrets only that this will undeniably even the score."

Jack risked a small chuckle as she began the climb upwards, "Find somebody to kill with a foam cup and he will have to give up, ain't no competin' with that."

"Or kill with her brain." River offered.

"Can you really do that?" Jack quirked an eyebrow looking down.

"That is a secret for the girl to know." River smirked.

"Just sayin' cause that would beat the foam cup hands down 'iffin' Riddick beats you to it."

**O0O0O0o0O0**

The four mercs halted having come to yet another dead end, "Where the fuck did they go? Wasn't any turns anywhere." One of the mercs demanded.

"Sweep the area," The woman ordered, "Gotta be here somewhere," She ran her gaze along the maze of pipes coming from the far wall.

"Got something over here!" The fourth one called as he bent to pick up a bloody piece of fabric, "looks like our boy's hurtin'," he laughed.

Something clicked in Tombs' head, the blood trail, the shirt, the fucking monster behind them, why kill four mercs when they can be eaten alive before your eyes, "Drop it goddamn it!" He roared, the four of them spinning on heel as heavy metallic footsteps rocked the ship beneath their feet.

"Oh shit," the commander swore, and almost in complete unison the foursome leveled their guns.

Toombs ran the numbers in his head, not that there where many numbers to run even a ruttin' idiot could see they was about to be eaten, wasn't a damn thing their guns could do 'bout it either.

The beast roared, and they opened fire, their bullets nothing more than a slight irritation as the monster made a nice snack out of the fool who touched the bloodied shirt.

_The hell with this._ Toombs thought to himself as he watched the commander be swatted across the room, he turned his gun on a sewage pipe, blowing a hole into its side, he gritted himself against the smell and dove in, as the beast finished off the last of his crew.

Riddick smirked watching the violence from above; braced against the walls of the ventilation shaft he had climbed up and inside of. He had to admit; some days he fuckin' impressed himself. The beast inside snarled as he released his grip, and the man unleashed a scream, dropping down the shaft and landing directly on the monster's back, he drove his shiv into the exposed flesh of the thing's head. The monster reared back on its legs releasing an agonized wail before collapsing with a thud which rocked the ship.

Carelessly Riddick leapt down from the carcass, and strolled over to his bloody tank, wrinkling his nose in disgust, "Ain't puttin' that back on," he remarked absently to the empty room, tossing it away and eyeing instead the tank of one of the dead mercs, he walked over and tugged it off, wasn't the first time he pulled clothes off a corpse, and knowing him, wouldn't be the last. Once fully clothed he took off at a fast jog toward one of the shafts he'd passed he knew would lead him to the flight deck, full of smug satisfaction that he would now have one up on River.

**O0O0O0O0O0O0**

"First thing I'm goin' do is eat a real fucking meal, ya know, doesn't matter what, just anythin' that ain't in pill form, been so long I think I've forgotten how to chew," Jack went on as she reached the access panel that would lead to the flight deck and hopefully their freedom.

River had been occupied keeping a watch on _her _ Riddick's mind as well as the stability of _her_ Jack's and as a consequence missed the shift in intention above them and it wasn't until Jack pushed through the panel that she felt what she had been missing, "Jack!" She cried out latching onto the girl's ankle and yanking hard.

"What the he.." Jack's words dissolved into a cry of panic as she felt someone latch onto her hair as River grabbed at her legs, in a very painful game of Tug-o-Jack. Another hand came down and wrapped around her neck forcing River to release her hold on her ankle.

"Got you," a dark voice chuckled yanking her the rest of the way up.

River was less than a breath behind lunging for Junner's knees still half way in the access tunnel trying to knock him off balance.

"Fucking parasites," he sneered bringing his rifle butt down and cracking it against River's head, her grasp slackened and fell limp.

"River!" Jack yelled, swinging wildly and catching him across his jaw, the satisfying crack of a tooth knocking loose ringing in her ears.

Junner spit a mouthful of blood along with one of his molars out and onto the grating, "Enjoy it, it will be the last thing you will ever do," he sneered, tightening his grip around her throat, savoring the feel of the hands on kill.

"LET. HER. GO." Riddick snarled stepping out of the shadows, fury pouring out in his words.

Junner sneered, carelessly dropping the runt, and adjusting his trench as he turned to face him.

"It's me you want, so how 'bout a shot at the title?" Riddick continued to snarl, "On your feet Jack, look to River while I make good on a promise I made to this fuck."

Jack scrambled away and onto her feet, struggling to force the air back into her lungs while trying to get back towards River.

Riddick and Junner circled slowly, studying one another, weighing each other. Riddick growled, Junner removed his coat, Riddick flipped out his shiv, Junner disconnected his sword from his rifle, and still they silently circled.

"River," Jack whispered furiously, "River, wake up," she pleaded.

Her eye's fluttered.

"Come on," Jack begged, her eyes darting anxiously from River to Riddick and to the dick Riddick was fighting, god she hoped he killed him.

Riddick was the first to make a move, and he lunged coming up short purposefully just out of Junner's reach, allowing him to make a jab, he sidestepped kicking the blade out of his hands, spinning through with his shiv to take a swipe at the fuck's throat. The taller man side stepped to the left, dodging the sweep and spinning from Riddick's reach.

Jack watched in a mixture of fear and awe as the two men danced around each other, each step flowing smoothly into the next. Her breath catching in her throat as Junner thrusted with his reclaimed sword, and releasing as Riddick caught the blade between his palms, twisting hard and to the right, ripping the blade from his grasp.

The dance began anew blades replaced with fists, as they moved around each other in near perfect balance. A jab blocked by a kick, a sidestep avoiding a kick, a thrust sent wildly off with a body slam, and they lock, breaking apart viciously both moving to reclaim their blades.

Metal sung through the deck, clashing violently against the hull, "Jack," River whispered.

"River, you okay? Bleedin' a bit."

River groaned.

"Ain't goin' well," Jack whispered anxiously, as she watched Riddick take another blow, costing him his shiv.

"Our rules Jack," River winced, her ears still ringing slightly, "give _our _Riddick the advantage."

Jack's eyes darted furiously landing on a wiring cord, her eyes followed it to its connection and she darted for it.

Riddick ducked, coming back up to wrench Junner's sword arm once more, he countered with a hard kick to his knee, and reversed their positions ending with his blade pressed against Riddick's throat. Riddick chuckled, having caught Jack's movement and direction.

"Something amusing Mr. Riddick," Junner shot out, "enlighten me will you, I could use a good laugh as I find myself sorely disappointed with the Legend that was the Riddick."

"Give it a minute," Riddick smirked.

"For what?"

There was a crackle of electricity, and the lights went out. Silence, and then a crunch, followed by a wet squish, and anguished scream. The emergency lights flickered on as Jack tried to get River to her feet, both girl's eyes fixated on _their_ Riddick, and the crumpled form of Junner at his feet, Riddick's shiv protruding from his eye socket.

"Told 'im it was comin'," Riddick said as if in explanation as he bent down to pull his shiv from the dead man's eye and wiped it clean on his cargos.

"Guess you're up a couple points now huh?" Jack smirked as he approached them.

"Damn well better be," he rumbled reaching down and wrapping River's arms around his neck, he swung her up around his waist, cradling her against his chest, "You with me baby girl?"

"Beware the rage which lies behind the door," She mumbled, her eyes drifting closed as the pounding in her head increased, unable to make sense of much else swirling around her.

Riddick raised an eyebrow at Jack.

"Somebody behind that shuttle door with a gun?" Jack guessed at the translation, "She got hit pretty hard."

"Gun Jack." Riddick growled jerking his head toward where the fuck had discarded the rifle portion of his weapon.

Jack nodded and obediently retrieved the weapon, offering it up to Riddick who shook his head.

"This the life you want?" he demanded.

"Yeah," Jack answered without a thought or hesitation, almost insulted by the question.

"Earn it." He pushed the gun back at her, and headed toward the shuttle.

Jack swallowed, she knew what he meant, what he wanted her to prove, she followed.

Riddick merely grunted, stopping before the shuttle hatch, he looked down at Jack standing next to him. "Take a step behind me, see better with two eyes then one kid, ain't got a scope on that thing, brace yourself for the kickback," Riddick coached.

Jack complied.

His fist slammed against the hatch release.

"You filthy stinking savages!" Chillingsworth shrieked seeing only Riddick, weaponless holding his whore, "Back to hell with you all!" She cocked back the trigger on a dainty ladies pistol, her eyes wild and unhinged.

A resounding boom echoed through the deck, Riddick shook his head to clear the buzzing from his hearing, "Awfully uncivilized thing you did there Jack," he said evenly, though approval laced his tone.

"Point for me." Jack answered just as evenly.

"Got a long ways to go kid," he chuckled darkly, stepping over the semi headless corpse.

"Hey Riddick," Jack called as she followed him inside the shuttle.

"Yeah?"

"You seein' a pattern here?"

"Like what kid?" He asked strapping a semi conscious River into the co pilots chair.

"Like us leaving places in shuttles that have somethin' waiting to kill us inside of 'em, and then havin' to roll the body out the back hatch, after running from freakishly mutated monsters wantin' to eat us alive."

Riddick paused in his step on his way to kick the bitch's corpse out the back hatch, it hadn't actually occurred to him before but the kid was right. "What can I say Jack, God's got a fucked up sense of humor," he smirked.

Jack snorted in agreement, "Got that fucking right."

**O0O0O0O0O0O0O0**

"Ain't over Riddick," Toombs smirked as he watched the shuttle head out and into the black from an observation window, "Not by a long shot boy."

**O0O0O0O0O0O0**

Jack watched closely as Riddick meticulously stitched up the gash behind River's left ear, fascinated by the way his large fingers maneuvered the fragile needle so deftly. One monstrous hand cradled her chin tenderly, while the other worked the needle, all the while River quietly hummed, and oddly enough Jack found herself at peace. The soft melody of River's humming blended almost seamlessly with the quiet sounds of the ship and combined with Riddick's presence, silent and strong Jack felt as if she was home.

Maybe it wasn't home in the usual sense, maybe it wasn't a home that any other person in the whole of the 'verse would have wanted but it was hers, River and Riddick were hers and in those short quiet moments, despite everything, Jack was completely content.

**O0O0O0O0**

"Be on Pathos in four hours," Mal remarked through a mouthful of protein at breakfast.

Jayne merely grunted; his opinion had been stated and duly ignored already.

"Think we'll find her Cap?" Kaylee asked hopefully, "Been back and forth and under every rock on that station they could be hid and ain't found even a scratch."

"Don't mean a thing 'cept they're on the move," Zoe said sipping off her coffee, "Pathos is our best bet bein' the main port on this end of the shipping lanes."

"What about on the other side?" Simon asked.

Jayne snorted, "Ain't no way in hell Riddick is hangin' 'round the Tangiers system, sure there's plenty of work to be had for a man like 'im, did his first stint in triple max on a rock out that way, don't 'spect he's itchin' to be near those parts 'gain."

"Jayne's right," Zoe agreed, "Can't see him wantin' to be anywheres near that end of the Sol Track."

"'Iffin' the station comes up empty 'gain, we'll move on for a bit, check some of the outer Rim systems, can't see 'im hittin' the Core." Mal finished off the last of his coffee.

Simon lowered his head, somewhere out in the black his mei-mei was at the mercy of a sociopathic killer, "We've got to find her Mal."

"And we will, girl risked hers too save ours back on Miranda and a hundred other times since, ain't forgotten it Simon, ain't forgotten a single time she's saved our skins, ain't leavin' her to that killer."

"Monty said she went willingly off with 'im, even after he offered her an out." Jayne pointed out, not expecting to be heard.

"Only 'cause she's off her meds and not herself, SDoc said she'd be susceptible to suggestion, ain't surprised a bit, she'll show some sense when we get her back and on her meds," Mal replied heatedly.

Jayne grunted, though mentally he was bashing his head into the metal table.

"Four hours people, ya'll got jobs to do, git to 'em." Mal snapped pushing himself away from the table and storming back up to the cockpit.

"You really don't want her found do you Jayne?" Simon asked, anger seething under the surface of his cold tone.

"IF she needed us Doc," Jayne said standing, and dumping his plate in the sink before his mouth got him in trouble, "I'd tear through a Reaver horde to get to her, ain't any less than what the girl did for us, but truth is, she don't need us."

"You're wrong Jayne." He answered evenly.

"Keep tellin' yourself that Doc, but mayhap you might wanna think on the fact, she might be with Riddick now, but she left on her own." Jayne said over his shoulder as he exited the mess, not bothering to wait for a reply, which was best since Simon had none to offer.

Zoe sat stoic as ever but inwardly flinched against the reminder her thoughts had a role to play in drivin' the poor girl away and into the arms of a murderer.

**O0O0O0O0O0**

"The cub sleeps," River said quietly, slipping onto Riddick's lap and nestling her head against his chest.

"Wonderin' why her mouth wasn't runnin'," Riddick smirked as he nuzzled his face against her hair, inhaling deeply and wrapping his arms around her.

"The Riddick made her kill," it was an observation, not a judgment.

"Ain't the first time she's done it," he replied absently twirling a strand of her hair around his finger.

River pulled herself just far enough away to be able to look into Riddick's ungoggled eyes, "The first was defense, the second rage, pride, the third, a command. Death brought by fire differs from death dealt cold."

"Needed to know girl could do what needed to be done when the time came," he answered unrepentant, and knowing there was no need to be.

"The girl acknowledges this," River conceded, she did not have to like it, but the necessity was obvious. "The choice made will have far reaching consequences."

"Always do."

"She is _ours_ now, we cannot leave her."

"Wasn't plannin' on it, she's mine, just the same as you, only two people in the 'verse that don't think I'm absolute shit, didn't think it mattered before, does now, ain't no getting' away from me even 'iffin' you try." He pulled her closer to himself, unsettled by the twinge of raw fear at the thought of _his_ girls leaving.

River smiled against his chest, lulled by the comforting purr which rumbled from it, as her fingers traced his jaw. "The Riddick belongs to them as they belong to him, the girl and the cub would never leave him."

"Nothin' in the 'verse baby girl, not a god damn thing," he rumbled possessively.

"Nothing in the 'verse," River whispered, her eyelids fluttering closed, she allowed herself to drift off basking in her new found serenity.

**O0O0O0O0O0O0**

**Endnote: And thus, the Dark Fury story arc has ended…. hope I did it justice.**

'**Til After Now.**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:**

**Rachet: *wink*, but mayhap not as you think and not for awhile yet.**

**Sabrina1204: River's gonna come out in all her badass glory pretty soon, I have a decent bit of time to play around with our beloved pack since there is a five year gap between Dark Fury and CoR, which we will be headed to eventually in a very roundabout way, but I do plan on doing a bunch of original for the inbetween, a lot of fluff, of course some blood, Jack grows into her mouth, and hopefully some amusing dialogue. And yes this is the update you've been waiting for ENTER SERENITY… Hope it lives up to the hype…much luv…oh and by the by… the cup is not just a random thought….hehehehe**

**.: I got something kinda similar in a vague type of way to that, let me know what you think, and I'm always opened to suggestions and ideas, and if I can't work it in I like to hoard 'em for rainy days, lol.**

**GenocideWolf: LOL. Much luv. *Blushes***

**DemolitionV: Thanks so much, promise to keep writing as long as you keep reading :D**

**Zen007: Thanks lol! Got plenty more RnR floatin' in my head :D**

**Sin1989-Thanks so much! A badass River is so much fun!**

***Sniffle* None of it is mine….**

**Ps-Um, well , yeah, I mentioned Inara in the beginning and then she kinda disappeared, my bad… lol, I aim to fix that now.**

* * *

The crew of Serenity let out a collective sigh of relief as Mal successfully docked on Pathos. The captain's flying ability was passable, his landing and docking capabilities however, were other matters entirely, and despite the countless opportunities he had to practice since River's departure Zoe still silently thanked Buddha every time they made it safely to the ground or in this case, every time they successfully locked on without ripping a gorram hole in the hull of the ship.

"He's getting better," Inara said optimistically as she opened her eyes.

"I'll just be happy when it's River behind the controls again." Simon answered, releasing the grip he had held on the table.

"How long do you think it will take to stabilize her again?" She asked.

"I won't know until I can examine her, it's been weeks without her meds, not to mention the damage that monster must have done, I could be right back where I started again."

"You mean _she_," Inara corrected unsure as to why his choice of words bothered her.

"Excuse me?"

"You said _you_ could be right back where you started again, you meant she, _she_ could be right back at the beginning again."

Simon looked confused and more than little angry, "I fail to see the distinction, I have taken care of her completely for almost five years now, I gave up everything for her, she's my responsibility Inara, it will be me cleaning up pools of vomit in the middle of the night, me sitting up with her when her nightmares are too much to bare, me coaxing her out of ventilation shafts and trying to make sense of her ramblings, so yes when I say I'll be right back at the beginning again I mean all our progress will be for naught."

Inara blinked a few times, taken aback by his words, and at an utter loss on anyway to respond, falling back on her years of training merely she replied, "Of course you are right Simon forgive me, my remark meant nothing." Though she did not mean it in the least, but unsure of what to make if anything of it all.

* * *

"Never thought I'd be so happy to see a fuckin' space port," Jack yawned stretching as Pathos came into view.

"The girl desires nothing more than a hot shower and to be clean once more." River said wistfully.

"Like _my _girl dirty," Riddick teased seductively, his voice a low rumble.

"Seriously, I'm going to throw up my survival pill." Jack made a face.

"Bed would be nice," Riddick continued ignoring her.

"The Riddick's thoughts are not conducive to the girl's ability to dock." River smiled.

"So yeah….Um standing right behind you guys."

* * *

"Jayne."

"Yeah Zoe?" He huffed loading the last crate onto the mule.

"Gonna head out now, you know the deal."

"Yeah, know what I'm supposed to do Zoe," he snapped.

"Captain and I are gonna start with the docking bays, Doc's got some connections he's gonna check in with on the med levels, and Inara and Kaylee are gonna stay with the ship."

Jayne raised an eyebrow, "Since when does the Doc have connections?"

Zoe shrugged, "Where do ya think he gets River's meds, ain't like he strolls into a pharmacy and places an order, if our boy's been workin' , mayhap he's been hurt, or River has," she paused a second not wanting to think on the matter, "they'd need to see a Doc workin' off the books."

Jayne scratched his head, "Guessin' that leaves the lower levels to me 'gain."

"More likely than not, folks down there will talk to you."

"Gorram tired of scratchin' at dirt."

"Ain't stoppin' 'til we find her."

"Ain't the one that drove her off," he snorted, finding it actually funny he hadn't had a gorram thing to do with it.

"Body can't help what they think." Zoe defended herself.

"Don't think that's the point Zoe, can't help what we think, River girl knows that better than anybody, it's the way ya all were actin', tip toein' 'round the girl like she was a time bomb, treatin' her like she was made of glass 'til one of ya'll needed her to shoot at somethin', 'iffin' none of you noticed, it was me that always gave her the gun, tried to give her one of her own for her birthday, Mal wouldn't let her keep it. Ain't one for thinkin' much Zoe, but that whole ramble 'bout cages seems to make some sense to me now, girl was as much a prisoner on board this ship as she was with the Alliance only we made this one look pretty, made the bars all invisible like."

"Thinkin' ain't what you're bein' paid to do Jayne," Zoe said, her tone a warning.

"Been reminded enough of that Zoe," Jayne said shrugging her off.

"Then don't forget it."

"Body can't help what they think," he smirked, turning her words around on her.

"I'd be gettin' on Jayne, got a lotta ground to cover," she snapped.

"Won't make a lick of difference Zoe and we both know it, only one of us is willin' to admit it."

"Do what you're paid to do Jayne, ain't nothin' good comes from reachin' higher than your worth." She said coldly.

Jayne bit back his anger, though his hands trembled slightly from the effort, he managed to turn his back on the first mate, "I'll be gearin' up then on my way."

"See to it."

* * *

"Stay close kid," Riddick rumbled pushing down his goggles as the hatch door hissed open.

"Ain't six Riddick, been in and out of more ports than I can count, think I know had to keep my head low." She snapped back.

"Yeah, but that mouth of yours never seems to want to shut the fuck up."

"Oh fuck you Riddick," she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.

River found herself only half listening as the two bickered back and forth, a vague nagging sensation tugging at the back of her mind distracting her.

"No wanderin' off," Riddick warned her again, "May not be the first time you been in a port but sure as hell the first time you've walked through with two of the 'verse's most wanted, fact is ain't a merc in the 'verse ain't tempted by as much coin as the Alliance is throwin' up for mine and River's _pig gu_s_, _always gonna be somebody on us, stick around long enough kid, your head will earn a pretty price too."

"The Riddick is correct," River said stepping past them and out into the small airlock.

Jack merely grunted, doubting anyone would be stupid enough to fuck with them considerin' they'd all looked as though they'd just escaped hell, and they had. Twice.

"The cub is correct as well." River answered absently playing with one of the several tattered ends of her tank.

"'Bout what?" Riddick asked leading Jack by one of his hands on top of her head toward the air lock door.

"'Bout everything," Jack snorted.

"Keep tellin' yourself that kid." He chuckled.

**

"Keep your eyes open for a cred machine, need some coin, 'fore we can do anything," Riddick said as they moved through the crowd, which seemed to instinctively flow around the trio, rather than try to push past. It could have been the condition of their clothing, or the inherent feeling of danger they seemed to emit from their pores, though River who could read the mind of every person around them knew it was more due to their smell than anything else.

Jack snorted, "The great Riddick actually pays for stuff?"

"Easier than stealin'," he shrugged, "draws less attention."

"The cub has been misbehaving," River scolded but the accompanying giggle took away any sting Jack may have felt.

Jack had the grace to look sheepish, "Nobody told me we was actually plannin' on acquirin' shit all legit like."

"What?" Riddick asked, his confusion turning to absolute amusement as Jack fanned out a handful of cred chips. He smirked, kid was good. "We ain't but a hundred feet from the docks, how in the gorram hell did you lift those?" He asked taking the chips, his eyes bulging ever so slightly as he tallied up the value, kid had either been lucky as fuck or she really was that good.

"The cub is just that good," River smirked, plucking the chips from the Riddick's fingers she handed them back to Jack. "The cub has earned them, they are hers to spend, the girl and the Riddick have coin of their own."

Jack beamed, "Saw the casino signs everywhere, figured if I just watched I'd be able to tell who was goin' home a winner."

"Was, being the operative word," River giggled.

Riddick was impressed, kid was observant as hell. Pick pocketing was a tricky business, more often than not it wasn't worth the risk, but kid could pick a target and walk away clean, fuck he hadn't even noticed her makin' her moves. "Might just live up to your mouth Jackie-girl."

"Fuck you."

Riddick chuckled.

***

"Too heavy for you kid," Riddick said as he plucked the shiv from Jack's hand.

"Ain't throwin' it," She shrugged.

"Ain't the point," he told her firmly, picking up a larger yet sleeker curved blade, "your shiv, it ain't just a piece of metal, it's an extension of you," he made several clean liquid swipes through the air, "it's gotta move like you move. River's gonna be teachin' ya how to fight, my ways not good for you I'm bigger and bulker, I have brute force when all else fails, you ain't gonna ever have strength on your side sos you need to rely on speed and agility."

"The curved claw, flows like the River, smooth, fluid. The girl uses kicks and spins, quick movements relying on momentum, the curve carries the slice through, clean, efficient, lethal."

Jack nodded, absorbing every piece of information they gave her and storing it away.

"These," River told her handing her a pair of blades nearly identical to ones she had selected for herself, metal grips which were wrapped in black leather, the edge serrated where it curved around her knuckles and smooth as it extended on. Riddick had also selected similar blades, though his were much larger, and Jack found herself oddly remembering an old story involving a family bears, each with identical possessions varying only in size, though she thought of the pack as more wolf like than bear like it still seemed a good comparison.

"And this," Riddick grunted strapping a back holster over her shoulders.

"What about guns?" She asked eagerly.

Riddick snorted, and River just shook her head, a firm no.

"Why not?" Jack complained.

"Any fool can fire a gun, ain't a drop of skill to it." Riddick told her strapping another sheathed blade around Jack's calf, whom at the moment was beginning to feel like the doll in some world gone mad game of dress up.

"But River uses guns," she whined as River tugged on her, adjusting the holster.

"The girl can also kill with a foam cup."

"Ain't seen it," Jack shot back.

"Missin' the point kid, learn the art, then you can pick your instrument." Riddick smirked, now that he thought 'bout it he kinda like to think of himself as an artist of sorts, maybe that bitch bounty hunter hadn't been so far off the mark.

River shrugged, grabbing several clips for her chosen guns, "The girl is a dancer," oblivious to the fact that Riddick had not spoken aloud, being around those who did not mind half spoken conversations, and kept no secrets from her nor desired to, had caused it to become habit and she noticed less and less the difference between spoken words and unspoken thoughts. Neither Jack nor Riddick ever commented on it beyond a snort or smirk, acceptance she found, was divine.

* * *

Jayne stomped through the station byways, the crowd clearing a path, none wishing to be in the way of the hulking _hun dan_, that looked like he was lookin' to shoot someone or something. He was still seething over Zoe's last remarks, the idea of tellin' her and Mal both to go straight to ruttin' hell looking more and more appealing with every goddamn step he took.

He didn't intend on stopping anywhere to shop but as he passed by a weapon shop that he knew stocked the ammo he needed for Vera, the idea of that and mayhap a new girl to add to his collection cheered him slightly and so he paused and turned into the shop, 'sides he wasn't 'xactly dodgin' his job he'd been in this place 'fore askin' questions, and spendin' a few creds could make a difference in loosening a man's tongue he reasoned.

"_Nihao_ (hello)." The old man by the counter greeted him, "Oh, it's you, you're the one that takes the modified shells for that pretty little lady of yours." He chuckled, "You're in luck, just got a shipment yesterday."

Jayne grunted in acknowledgement.

"You ever find that girl?"

"Nah, can't find a body that don't wanna be found."

"Well, 'iffin' you still care to try, girl by that description was in here earlier."

Jayne's head instantly snapped up, "What?"

"Girl was in here, had a big 'ole _hun dan_ with her, growled at anybody got close to her and the little bit they was in here with, looked like they'd just escaped that special kinda hell."

"You ain't curious as to who they was?" Jayne asked suspiciously, hopin' like hell the man hadn't gotta the idea in his head to turn 'em in to the Alliance.

"Don't ask no questions over man like that, seen a lotta baddie types in my line of business get to be able to tell the difference 'tween a man that's for show and a man liable to rip your throat out and shove yer balls down it for lookin' or talkin' to what was theirs."

"Any talk of where's they was goin'?"

"Not a bit, but they was outfittin' themselves and even the little bit they had with 'em like it was the Unification War all over again, I'd be a mite careful, man looked awful tetchy."

"Why's it yer tellin me all this?"

The old man shrugged, "They was all over the blades, them that fight with blades over guns tend to be a bit unbalanced, ain't lookin' for trouble but man scared off a shop full of customers, 'sides you and yours have spent a decent amount of coin in here last couple of weeks, they's just blown through once, I prefer a steady customer."

Jayne put several boxes of shells on the counter and paid for them, throwin' a few extra creds in, "For yer trouble old man," he said and headed out of the shop.

The girl was on the station. The girl was on the station. Fuck Riddick was on the station. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. He needed a plan, and a drink. A drink first.

* * *

"Stay here."

River blinked, "The girl does not believe she heard the Riddick properly."

"Stay. Here." He emphasized dropping the three gorram duffels he'd been shouldering through the station onto the room floor.

"What the fuck for?" Jack demanded.

Riddick took a deep breath, "'Cause I'm gonna go find us a gorram ship, one that I ain't fuckin' payin' for, and it'd be a whole lot easier without you two taggin' along." What he left out was he really didn't want Jack to be around when he broke in a killed the owners, Jack wasn't quick enough yet and he sure as hell wasn't leavin' the girl here by herself.

River arched an eyebrow, "The girl does not tag."

Jack muttered something along the lines of _fuck_ _you, _before deciding she liked the idea of a shower and bed much more than skulking around the shadows of the docking bays anyway.

"The girl is only allowing this because she agrees with the cub."

Riddick smirked, "Whatever you just thought 'bout kid, thanks."

"Yeah, well do me a favor find us a ship larger than a fucking matchbox with working cortex and we'll call it even."

"Anything for you princess," he snorted and then crossed the room to where River stood and wrapped his arms around her, leaning in to lightly graze her lips, "mean it girl, stay put," he growled.

River rolled her eyes, "He will find the girl and the cub where he leaves them."

"Good," he dropped another kiss on her forehead before leaving.

As soon as the door closed Jack sat up on the bed, "We ain't actually stayin' are we?"

River smiled, "The girl said the Riddick would find them were he left them, never that they would remain there the entirety of his absence, the cub may shower first, but quickly."

* * *

Jayne tipped back his whiskey, hoping to hell that Zoe or Mal didn't have a mind to be thirsty and happen to walk into the bar, then again, had to be couple hundred bars on the station considerin' the casinos and all, what were the odds of them walkin' into his? Then again, what were the odds of flippin' sides in the middle of a job cause somebody offered ya a better percent and your own bunk, only to find out you was signin' on to be some big damn hero flyin' straight into a horde of Reavers led by a _feng le _teen aged girl and a captain with hero complex and a knack for gettin' shot? Pretty gorram good 'iffin' your name was Jayne Cobb.

Technically he was looking for the ruttin' girl, he told himself, wasn't nothin' to feel guilty 'bout, just so happened currently he was looking for her at the bottom of an empty glass, only place left he'd hadn't looked on this damn station, and big fuckin' surprise she wasn't there either, but she was here somewhere, a thought that should have comforted him, but somehow it didn't. A part of 'im, the part that understood what wantin' to be free of it all felt like didn't want the girl found, not for his sake but for hers, 'sides the way he was feelin' 'bout Mal and Zoe at this point he figured they didn't ruttin' deserve her back. Another part of 'im, the one that liked livin' and wasn't quite done with doin' so yet didn't want to be anywhere's near Little Crazy and Big Crazy and whatever miniature version of the two the guy in the gun shop was goin' on 'bout, he'd heard all 'bout what Riddick was capable of, and seen firsthand what the girl could do, still had the fuckin' scar to prove it to.

Jayne signaled the bartender to pour him another, and he sipped it more slowly than the first, though it wasn't long before he was ordering a third, and it was sometime around the fourth when Jayne came to the conclusion he wasn't lookin' anymore, nope, now he was just gettin' drunk, and he was okay with that. Jayne Cobb was officially callin' off the search.

Girl didn't want to be found, couldn't ruttin' blame her, 'iffin' he had the Doc as a brother he'd run off too. Girl found herself some trim, good for her he smirked; in fact, he might go lookin' for some himself in a bit. _To trim and crime, _he thought and drained the last of his glass, leaning back and lighting a cigar as he signaled for another, feeling mighty gorram pleased with his decision.

On the other hand, he wasn't the only one lookin' for her, and he didn't think the Captain or any of the crew for that matter could be brought around to his way of thinkin', be better 'iffin' he found her first to warn her, but how in the ruttin hell was he gonna do that? It was towards the end of his fifth drink that Jayne Cobb had what he believed to be one of the greatest ideas of his life, girl was a reader, she could hear thoughts, and he chuckled at his own ruttin' genius.

Downing the last of his drink and stubbing out his cigar he squeezed his eyes closed concentrating as much as possible through the haze of whiskey, he silently yelled, "_River, River, River, River, River, River, River!" _

* * *

River giggled, enjoying the satisfaction of her cub as she completed another successful swipe. They had no need for the credits but it was something the little one enjoyed and so she let her have her fun.

"Riddick's gonna freak 'iffin' he finds out we left the room." Jack smirked, scanning the crowd for her next target and settling on a man in a blue silk overcoat.

"The Riddick will never know." River smiled sideways, "Not him, he is more than he seems," she warned her absently, eyeing a dress in a shop window.

Jack quirked an eyebrow but moved her search on, "Sos what's the plan anyway?"

"Profitable employment of course."

"What about my training?" She asked hopefully.

"The Riddick will select a ship large enough to equip a gym, there is no better teacher than experience."

"What kinda of job?" Jack asked.

"Whatever the Riddick deems worthy, though Juno will be avoided."

"That's the job ya'll blew when the HG went down isn't it?"

"Unforeseen circumstances," River answered.

"Well at least wes don't have to worry 'bout Johns."

"Valid assumption, but there will be others."

"Bring it on." Jack smirked, her smiling fading quickly as River swung around, her head jerking to the side and eyes glazing over.

"What is it Riv?" She asked anxiously, worried Riddick had run into trouble, and unsure if River's gift worked that far, "River," she tried again when she received no response.

"The girl has business," she said quietly, after a few more tense moments.

"What kinda of business?"

"Business that cannot be postponed, they wish to cage her and make her sit pretty and quiet, only fly when they tell her to fly, only shoot where they point," River rambled, her mind searching out the source of the whispered tug.

"Mercs?"

"No, the girl's former pack seeks to reclaim her."

"You ain't gonna go back to 'em are you?" Jack asked, although fearful of the answer.

"Their claim is false, the girl has a pack, she wants no other."

"Then we should go back Riv, wait for Riddick then wes can take care of it together."

"No, the Riddick must not know of this, the girl does not wish her keepers dead, only deterred; the Riddick does not understand the difference."

"It don't sit right is all." Jack grumbled.

"The cub must go back and wait for the girl."

"Are you kiddin' me? Ain't lettin' you go nowheres alone, Riddick will skin me alive 'iffin' somethin' happens to you and I just sit around and let it."

River released a sigh, reading quite clearly the girl's resolute determination to follow her, "The girl named Jack will achieve the impossible and remain silent."

Jack snorted, "Fine, but 'iffin' this goes bad, for the record I voted to back for Riddick first."

River rolled her eyes, "Whose side is the girl on?"

"Ain't safe to pick a side 'tween you and Riddick, I'm on Jack's side, which means 'iffin' this goes fine, than al'right ain't nobody gotta know, this goes south and I'm runnin' right back to Riddick and tellin' 'im it was all your idea and you made me do it."

"It will be well, the man named Jayne has no intention of harming the girl, nor does he truly wish for her return, he is doing as he is told."

"And what iffin' he changes his mind?" Jack pressed as they started walking again, this time River leading the way in a semi erratic pattern across the lower levels of the station.

"Then the girl will remind him why he feared her." River stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Sos, you're 'xpectin' it to go south?"

"Too many variables," River paused, and turned to Jack, "The girl must tell the cub a secret, there is a phrase that makes the girl sleep, the girl cannot stop it, she cannot fight it, if they use it the girl will fall into a sleep she cannot escape. The cub must run and find the Riddick, the keepers will take her to a ship, her name is Serenity, though it belies her true course, they are self righteous and angry, their thoughts never cease and swell with suspicion and mistrust, the pack must find her again, and break her free, bring with them a syringe of adrenaline, the Riddick will know how to use it."

"I really think we should wait for Riddick." Jack hesitated, "he really will kill me 'iffin' somethin' happens to you."

River ran a hand through the girl's messy mop of hair, "_Our_ Riddick would sooner destroy himself than hurt the cub, the cub should know this to be true."

Jack snorted, "Okay, sos he might not hurt me, but he'll knock this gorram station spinning into the black 'iffin' somethin' happens to you."

River shook her head, "If the cub wishes to return to him she may, the girl has business."

"Yeah you said that," Jack retorted as they started walking again, not liking the situation in the least, but pretty sure there was no convincin' River. She was however, absolutely, one hundred and ten percent positive about one thing, Riddick was gonna be pissed.

* * *

Riddick froze as the door hissed open, not in shock, but in absolute seething rage, the room was silent, pitch black, and utterly void of life. All pleasure and satisfaction of his recent kills forgotten. The beast snarled, all traces of the man vanishing. _How god damn hard was it to stay put for a fuckin' hour! _He ranted in his head as he slammed his fist against the door controls, closing the door to their room and scenting the air, remembering he had once wondered 'iffin' he'd be able to track River through a city by her smell alone, and absolutely furious he was now being forced to find out.

* * *

Jayne cracked one eye open, not entirely surprised to see the bartender looking at him funny. He was after all the biggest gorram ruttin' _sha gua_ (stupid melon head) in the 'verse. The whiskey, he'd blame it on the whiskey and walk away with none the wiser, 'xcept mayhap the bartender, but Jayne was sure he'd seen worse than him anyhow.

"The man-named-Jayne is not such a fool as he thinks."

Jayne froze, unable to turn to face the girl, and unable to believe it had actually worked. Hell, now he'd wished he'd done it sooner, woulda saved them a shit load of fuel and time.

"The girl was detained elsewhere prior she would not have heard you."

"Oh," he said finally turning, "Whose the bit?"

Jack scowled, "Fuck off," she was in no mood to be generous to a potential threat.

Jayne snorted, and signaled for another two drinks, after the bartender poured he slid one across to River, and said to Jack, "Sorry kid, ain't the kind of place where they serve milk and cookies."

"Fuck off." She shot back again, her fingers twitching for the shivs concealed beneath her tank.

"She say anything else?" Jayne quirked an eyebrow.

"_Liu kou shui de biao zi he hou zi de ben er zi, sheng de yi dui rou_ (stupid son of a whore and a drooling monkey, inbred sack of meat)."

"Apparently she does," he toasted his glass to the little bit.

River downed her drink in a single swallow, slamming her glass against the bar. "The man named Jayne called?" She arched an eyebrow.

He snorted, "Didn't really think it woulda worked, and even 'iffin' it did, sure as hell didn't think ya'd show."

"Well it did, so what the fuck do you want?" Jack snapped.

Jayne chuckled, "Got a mouth on her don't she?"

"That is irrelevant." River answered evenly, trying to sort through his whiskey hazed mind for his true purpose, something he did not even know.

"Supposed to bring you in," He finally said, almost absently as he sipped off his glass.

"The fuck you are!" Jack snapped, shrinking back as River shot her a look.

"Didn't say I was," Jayne growled setting down his glass, and looking, for lack of a better word, defeated, "fact is now that you're here ain't got a gorram hell of an idea 'bout what to do on it. Supposed to use the words and bring ya down."

"But he won't." River stated, her voice a bit gentler now that she had found the thoughts and emotions she had been searching for.

"Ways I see it, Mal offerin' me a higher percent for bringin' you in, is the same as when I tried to turn ya into 'em Blue Hands for the reward, man don't make the same mistake twice, may be dumb ain't suicidal. Just figured ya deserved the warning, theys won't stop lookin', and they aim to play dirty and drop ya the minute they lay eyes on ya." This time Jayne toasted to River out loud, "To crime and trim girl."

"The girl has no desire to return to the cage masquerading as a home, the girl has found a new one, and she wishes for nothing of the past." She placed her hand gently on his arm, "She bares them no ill will, only desires what is entitled to her, freedom. They leave her in peace and she shall issue the same."

Jayne eyed the hand on his arm for a moment, "Been tryin' girl, ain't none of 'em will hear a lick of sense, Mal's hell bent, found himself another cause," he snorted, " or more like took up the old one," He went back to his whiskey, "Oww, girl that fuckin' hurts, done said I was sorry," he bitched, as River's nails dug into the side of his arm.

"River," Jack snapped her fingers in front of her face, no response. "River," she tried again, "fuck, knew this shit would happen."

"What the in the ruttin' hell's wrong with her?" Jayne asked looking around nervously, he'd seen that look, knew what it meant, fucking trouble.

"Albatross," Mal seethed, not twenty paces from where they sat.

"_Tai kong suo you de xing qiu sai jin wo de pi gu_ (all the planets shoved up my ass)." Jayne moaned, his head thudding against the bar. "Of all the ruttin' bars."

"Friends of yours?" Jack asked nastily, unconsciously stepping between River and the two brown coats, her eyes not missing the unclipped holsters, or nervous fingers. There went the low profile, Riddick was going to be fuckin' pissed.

The beast paused at a narrow alley way, inhaling deeply, tasting the lingering traces of _his_, they had been this way. A low growl reverberated through his chest.

"Malcolm Reynolds," River said evenly as he approached, having gained the attention of not only the bartender but a few patrons as well.

"That's Captain," He answered angrily.

"Not anymore," she replied emotionlessly.

"River-girl, gave us all a scare, you're brother's been worried somethin' fierce." Zoe said, trying to ease the conversation.

"That is his issue and not the girl's." her eyes never left Mal's.

Jayne slid off his stool, with less difficulty than one would have thought for having consumed so much whiskey, "There see the girl's fine, ain't wantin' to come home, nothin' to be done."

"Ain't asked for your opinion Jayne."

"Well there it is capt'." Jayne snapped.

"The girl will not return."

"River you need your meds, ain't good for you to be off 'em so long," Zoe pushed, "time to come home and let us take care of you."

"River don't need nobody to take care of her, she's got me and Big Bad, ain't got no need for you!" Jack snapped.

"This ain't none of your business Little Bit," Mal growled, "This here is a family issue, mind you walk away now."

River pushed Jack behind her, "The girl named Jack belongs to River she is her pack, Malcolm Reynolds would be wise to follow his own advice, and return to his."

"Albatross you is one of mine, this is what's best, yer comin' home, ain't hearin' another word on it."

"Fuck you!" Jack spat out from behind River's shoulder, "You touch her and Riddick will rip ya to shreds!"

"Ain't talkin no more," Mal growled but before he could utter his next sentence River silenced him with a quick jab to his throat and ripping his own gun from its holster, she spun through tossing his gun at Jack and drawing her own, leveling directly on Mal's bent over gasping form.

"The girl tires of words, as well actions will suffice." Her voice was ice on glass.

"Eta.." Zoe was silenced by the whisper of a bullet fired so close it nearly kissed her cheek.

"Shut the fuck up!" Jack snarled, "River told me 'bout those words and I swear to shit you open your lips one more time and I'll put a bullet straight through your throat."

"Aw hell," Jayne bitched.

River redirected one of her hand guns in Jayne's direction. "The ape man is not excluded from the no talking rule."

"Ain't do shit to you River, was tryin' to be nice and warn ya."

She cocked back her gun.

"Shuttin' up," Jayne slid back onto his bar stool, and drained his glass.

"Ain't wantin' trouble here," The bartender cut in, "This is your business, ain't mine, take it out, or I call the law."

Jack took her gun off Zoe only long enough to fire a shot close enough to the bartender's head to make him dive for cover, "You call the law won't live long enough to see 'em come," She spat out as she leveled her gun on Zoe once more.

"The girl is taking hers and leaving now, they will not follow, they cease their searching and they will leave her in peace. She does not wish to harm them, but she will not be caged again."

"Are you a girl or a weapon?" Mal rasped the question, pickin' himself up.

River internally flinched against the memory of the last time he had asked that, in the cockpit of Serenity after the Maidenhead Incident, but on the outside, she was of stone, and her words moved past her lips without hesitation, "She is both."

"Can't be both 'Tross," he forced out.

"So says the Malcolm Reynolds, the brown coat and the thief, the hero and the ass, what the girl chooses to name herself is none of his concern. The cub will lower her weapon."

"The fuck she will," Jack snapped.

"Now." River spoke in such a way it left little room for contention, though she did not lower her own.

Jack emptied the barrel and tossed in at Mal's feet, but not without muttering a few choice words as she did so.

"Go in peace Malcolm Reynolds." River spoke as she and Jack side stepped, backing away and towards the door, without turning their backs on the captain and his first mate. "But be warned the next time he tries the words the girl will not be so generous." At the doorway she lowered her guns, turned abruptly and snatching Jack's wrist moved to run.

No sooner than she'd turned her back did Zoe use the words, "Eta kooram nah smech!!"

River locked her eyes onto Jack's and the next moment, her world went dark, blooding her nose as her face slammed into the metal grating of the station's floor.

"You bitch!" Jack shrieked acting on instinct she grabbed for one of River's guns, the whole of the bar taking cover as she fired blindly.

Zoe grabbed Mal and ducked behind a table, her aim much better than Jack's she took one shot.

"Fuck!" Jack swore as fire exploded through her shoulder knocking her back, sending the gun flying, "River, gotta get up, please get the fuck up," she begged through tears, unable to bring her gun hand back up, the world spinning from the pain. Jack may have taken a lotta of beatings in her life but being shot was a whole 'nother world of unexplored pain.

Zoe kicked the gun further away from the little girl and under a far table, "Shouldn't be playin' with guns, quickest way to get yourself shot," she snapped.

"Jayne!" Mal yelled, getting his voice back, "We're gonna have words when we get back to the ship, grab River."

Jayne pushed himself back from the bar, "Ain't knowin' what kind of trouble you're bringin' down on us Mal, shoulda let things be."

"Jayne…"

"Yeah I fuckin' know you ain't payin' me to think." He snapped wobbling only slightly as he bent down to pick up River, "Ya ain't just gonna let the kid bleed to death in a bar doorway are ya?"

"Ain't leaving a thing behind for the fuck to find." He snapped, hoisting a bleeding and semi conscious Jack over his shoulder.

Zoe turned and leveled her gun at the bartender and the few remaining patrons, "Ain't a single one of you seen a gorram thing, _dong ma?_" A few risked a nod of the head, the others went back to their drinks.

"Rid.. gonna fuckin' kill you," Jack managed a last retort before the pain of being moved caused her world to go black.

The remark was duly ignored by Mal and Zoe, Jayne however felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise and he shifted River's weight uncomfortably, muttering a stream of Mandarin as they headed back to the ship, his eyes darting to every shadow they passed.

* * *

The beast paused outside the doorway of a bar, the scent trail continued on outside the bar, but something new was added, _**blood**_, laced with gunpowder, someone had shot at _his_ fucking women. The beast snarled, sending a drunk flying as he stormed into the bar heading directly towards the bartender.

"Two girls were in here, I want to know where the fuck they went." He demanded planting a shiv into the bar to emphasize his point.

"Ain't wantin' no more trouble for today _lao xiong_ (pal), ain't got shit to say to you."

Riddick chuckled darkly, and then his arm shot out grabbing the fat fuck by the back of his head he slammed his face into the bar, and pushing up his goggles, he looked the man dead in the eyes, "Thems _**mine**_, and I want 'em," he snarled grinding the man's face into the metal bar, "now's you can tell me why the fuck their blood is spilled across your doorway or I can take their price in your skin you fat fuck, choice is yours, warning you _lao xiong_, my girls' are expensive as hell, don't think you got enough to cover it." He pulled his shiv from the bar and pressed the cool metal against the man's cheek.

"_Ren ci de Fo zu_ (Merciful Buddha), please, came in here, talkin' to a bloke that was three sheets, it was all friendly like, 'xcept the little bit was mouthin' off like hell."

Riddick smirked, it was Jack all right, "Go on," he urged, increasing the pressure of the shiv, a small trickle of blood forming.

"Two brown coats came in, things went south, says they was her people, somethin' 'bout the girl being off her meds or some such, girl got the jump on 'em though. She says she was gonna leave them be, 'iffin' they left her be, went to go, one of the brown coats was a woman, tall dark skinned, said some kinda nonsense dropped the girl liken it was an off switch, little bit starts firing, can't aim for shit though, tore up my bar, the women gets one shot off, blows it through the bit's shoulder, that's the end them took 'em both and left, don't know anymore I swear it!" He pleaded, crying towards the end.

"I don't believe you," Riddick growled, pressing down harder with his knife, relishing the sniveling pig's cries which tickled his ears.

"It's all I swear it! On me ma, I swear it."

"What 'bout that bloke she was talkin' to at first?"

"Said his name was Jayne, whiskey drinker, decent tipper, all I know, I swear it please!"

Riddick lifted the man by his head, smirked and slammed it back down again, "Don't believe you, think hard, real hard, cause them girls is mine, and I swear to fuck 'iffin' I lose 'em cause of you, I will kill you and every fuck that's ever breathed you're name."

"Malcolm Reynolds!" The bartender sobbed, "She called the other brown coat that, he said it was captain, she said not anymore, please, please I don't know anymore."

Riddick eyed the man with disgust, fucking sniveling inbred weasel, he should end it, do the fuckin' 'verse a favor, but his girls were more important and he had some people to kill, so instead he leaned in once more close, and whispered, his voice nothing more than a low gravelly rumble full of violent promise, "I find out you lied, I'm gonna be back, _dong ma?_"

The man managed a vague terrified nod of the head before Riddick released him, running his tongue along the blade of his shiv, the beast savored it, and hungered for more. The spilt blood of his women required compensation, and he would take it, in blood or flesh, it didn't matter which, but every drop of it would be paid for, he would see to it personally.

* * *

**Endnote: Cliffy much? Hmmmm Jayne, Jayne, Jayne…what will you do?**

**Til after now.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Solaira: LOL, sorry for the cliffy, well not really hehehehe, hope this satisfies you.**

**Sabrina1204:YAY! Survived Christmas without any fatalities hehehehe, hope you made it out alive as well, much luv girlie, hope you like this one.**

**Zen007: hehehehe, hope the update was worth the wait :D**

**Hotagainstthewall: Okay don't freak on me I promise I'll clear up the Jayne thing in the endnote. Lol**

**DemolitionV: lol, wasn't gonna make ya'll wait too long for this one.**

**Celticicegoddess: much luv girlie, hope your holidays rock as well :D enjoy.**

**Beth Weasley: LOL, thanks for reading momma.**

**Rachet: *Blushes* aww thanks :D**

**Hope I didn't go too far with this one…**

**Don't own a thing… Just a fan with delusions of grandeur.**

* * *

"Kaylee!" Mal yelled from the cargo bay as Zoe closed the hatch behind them, "I want my gorram ship ready to fly!"

"She's gone shop… my god you've found her!" Simon raced across the bay.

"She's fine Doc, she's out, need ya to take a look at the bit bleedin' on my shoulder you didn't seem to notice."

"Mal what happened?"

"Ain't got time for that," he said shrugging Jack into Simon's arms, "gotta get gone."

"But Mal, they've gone shopping."

"What?!"

"They went shopping after I came back."

"_Qing wa kao de liu mang_ (frog humping son of a bitch)!"

"Sir," Zoe pressed anxiously.

Mal paced for a moment, "Simon, get the girl to the infirmary, she's bleedin' all over my bay, Jayne get River up there too, and for the love of fucking Buddha make sure their restrained."

Jayne shot Mal a glare as he stomped by, muttering in Mandarin as he followed Simon to the infirmary. "Ain't chainin' her up Doc, you want it done you do it your gorram self," he said firmly after setting River down.

"I really don't have time for this now Jayne, the bullet went straight through clean, but I need to stop the bleeding and get this girl stitched up. What the hell happened out there?"

"What do you care Doc, you got your sister back?" Jayne snorted but didn't wait for an answer.

"Where are you going?" Simon yelled at him.

"To my bunk, this is my stop."

"What?"

"Girl's bleedin' Doc, focus." Jayne said and left the infirmary without another word, he had shit to do, and had to be done 'fore he found himself dead.

* * *

Riddick pressed his shiv against the throat of a young docking bay worker, inhaling in deeply the scent of fear which poured out of him. "Malcolm Reynolds, want his ship name and docking number," his voice was a gravelly whisper as he tightened his hold from behind the boy, increasing the pressure of his shiv against his throat.

"Ain't knowin' that kinda _gou shi_ (shit) offa the top of my head," the boy stammered out.

Riddick growled.

"Left cargo pocket, there's a handheld…" The boy's words were irrevocably lost as Riddick snapped his neck cleanly and drug him further back behind a stack of crates.

"Thanks kid," he smirked to the dead body as he removed the portable computer, "Ain't personal, understand that, just happened to be in the way of what's mine." He explained to the corpse as he powered up the handheld and brought up a listing of ships currently in dock, smiling darkly as the information he had been looking for appeared up the screen.

* * *

Jayne looked around his bunk, empty now save the two faded green duffels on the floor by his feet, he left them there for a moment as he climbed from his bunk, still had work to be done.

The infirmary was empty and silent save for the incessant quiet beeping of the several machines both girls were hooked to. He could hear the voices of the crew echoing down through the hallways, he had to be quick, girls might be alone now but it wouldn't be for long. Rummaging through one of the cabinets he found was he was looking for, a large needle wrapped in yellow, the word ADRENDALINE written in bold black Chinese characters across it.

He left River's restraints on, case she decided to go all crazy killer woman the moment she woke up, he needed at least a gorram second to explain himself 'fore she offed him, and hopefully afterwards she wouldn't. He took a deep breath and steeled himself for what he was about to do, and pulling up her tank to expose her chest he drove the needle straight into her heart.

River shot up immediately, the restraints forcing her back down as Jayne clamped one large hand over her mouth to stop her from screaming and alerting the whole gorram ship. "_Bi zui_ (Shut up) gorram it!" Jayne snapped in a whisper.

River's eyes instantly landed on Jayne's the whole of the afternoon coming back to her in a flash as well as Jayne's true intentions. She nodded her head, and silently shook off his hand.

"Ain't got time for explanations, can you tell where your man is?"

River closed her eyes for a moment and pushed her mind outward, locating _her_ Riddick quickly thanks to the surge of strength the adrenaline was pumping through her system. "He is coming for what is his, all whom have crossed the girl and the cub should quake with fear, his wrath knows no boundaries."

"Yeah was 'fraid of that." Jayne grumbled mopping his hand across his face. "Listen good girlie, didn't want no part in this, not from the start, didn't sign up to chain up _feng le_ women and fight off serial killers, hell alls I wanted was to make a coin or two to send home to Ma. Gorram captain's got me fightin' Reavers and playin' at hero, Jayne Cobb ain't no hero, never wanted to be." He pushed a key into one of her hands, and the small handgun he had purchased for her birthday a year ago that the captain had not allowed her to keep, "It's got a full clip, done my part." He turned his back on her but paused at the doorway, "Zoe done put a bullet in your little bit, it's clean though, yer brother done fixed her up."

"The girl will not forget this Jayne Cobb, but she must ask why."

"You're a reader." He snorted.

"The girl would like to hear it from his lips."

"Ain't forgotten a little _feng le_ woman who stood drippin' with Reaver guts on the other side of that door, we's even on that score now girl. I'll be takin' my leave of Serenity for good, should rile up 'nough of a distraction for you to do whatever the gorram hell that genius brain of yours decides to do." He didn't wait for her to speak again.

River took several deep calming breathes, forcing herself to control the adrenaline which pumped ferociously through her veins. She needed to formulate a plan, so long as the crew could speak they could shut her down. She had not wanted to hurt them, but they had used the words they were warned about, they had shot _her_ cub, they had stolen them from _their _Riddick, she would not be generous.

**

"Mal!" Jayne roared from the cargo bay.

"What Jayne?" Came the answer a minute later.

"Be takin' my leave."

"Ain't goin' nowhere Jayne, wanna be off this floating rock soon as the girls get back."

"Ain't talkin' like that Mal."

Mal looked confused for a moment, before clarity set in. "Might be best seein' how you ain't playin' for our side no longer anyhows," poorly concealed anger evident in his tone. "Ain't forgotten 'bout your actions back at the bar, you was supposed to take her down the second you laid eyes on her."

"Told ya Mal, only 'round 'til the better offer came up." He said simply.

"And what's the offer Jayne?"

"Livin'."

Mal cocked an eyebrow.

"Ain't no point in explainin' it, you wouldn't get it anyhow, 'sides ain't none of you cared for my thoughts 'fore, why should they matter now?" He said, there was no anger or remorse just resignation in his voice, "Do me a favor Mal, cause you still owe me for that Miranda shin dig, tell little Kaylee goodbye for me, mayhap I'll see ya'll around." He grunted as he lifted his duffels to his shoulders, he'd added that last bit 'cause he couldn't think of much else to say, Mal wouldn't listen to a warnin' or hear reason, only thing that would convince the man he'd fucked up was the tip of a shiv or the barrel of a gun.

"Don't come crawlin' back Jayne, and since you ain't crew no more don't think I won't hesitate to shot your desertin' ass 'iffin' we meet on opposite sides of a job."

"Wouldn't expect anythin' less Mal." He grumbled as he opened up the hatch.

"Ain't got your cut yet from the last job."

"Don't want it Mal, just want out." Jayne called over his shoulder as he exited closing the hatch behind him, leaving an opened mouth, fuming Mal behind him.

As soon as Jayne stepped off ship, the hairs on the back of his neck raised, every nerve ending in his body twitched, sure as shit they was bein' watched. His eyes scanned his surroundings, locating every spot a body could hide with a good view of the ship, which was quite a few considerin' it was a gorram docking bay, but his eyes finally settled on the one spot he would have chosen himself and he strode confidently toward it, pausing just out of reach should anything or anyone chose to strike from it, unlessin' they had a gun in which case he was fucked, but that was a risk he was willin' to take.

* * *

"Jack," River whispered.

No response.

"Jack."

No response.

"Jack," River ordered this time, and the girl's eyes fluttered open.

"Son of a bitch," Jack croaked, her throat was on fire, "Oh god."

"The Jack has been shot."

"Yeah no shit."

River rolled her eyes as she unlocked the restraints. "The pain will be great but she must rise above it _our_ Riddick is coming for us."

"Riddick?"

"Yes, the Riddick waits in the shadows the man named Jayne will give him the key."

"Riv, gonna have to break it down into stupid talk, can't understand shit of what you just said right now, everything hurts and is fuzzy."

"If we let the Riddick save us he will be up in the game."

"Gotcha." Jack winced as River helped her up. "What's the plan?"

"The girl lived in this cage, she knows the secret ways, the paths the others never bothered to take."

Jack groaned, "Tell me we ain't climbin'."

"Into the lungs." River whispered helping Jack stand.

"Stupid talk Riv."

"The ventilation shafts."

"I've just been shot."

"And the girl named Jack will need to learn how to overcome pain to survive, she wanted to train, the lesson begins now." River growled, pushing a scalpel into the girl's boot.

"Fuckin' hell."

* * *

Riddick growled as he watched the merc step from the cage which held his girls, a small smirk forming as the man unintentionally stepped closer towards his hiding spot. His smirk fading as he realized his movements were purposeful, his eyes hard and set, he knew exactly where Riddick was hiding.

Jayne paused, looked off in the other direction, but a fraction of his gaze was fixated on Riddick's spot, when he spoke it was seemingly into the air, "Girl knows you're coming, I got her up and movin', little bit's been shot."

A snarl interrupted his words.

"Doc patched her up, bullet went clean through her shoulder," he dropped a scrap of paper on the ground, "ship's access codes, left 'em in the infirmary, doubt they'll still be there, look to the ventilation shafts, girl has a fondness for them," he half smirked.

Riddick suddenly stepped from the shadows, a breath away from Jayne's face.

"Could kill you now," he growled low.

"Suppose ya could," Jayne didn't even flinch.

"Why?" He snarled.

"'Cause that girl done saved my skin more times than I can count, just evenin' the score is all."

Riddick circled him, Jayne didn't bat an eyelash. "Know you got a score to settle Riddick but seein' as I did you a favor you do me one, leave the women folk be."

"Bitch shot my cub." He snarled.

"Only 'cause she was shootin' first."

"And why was that? Ways I hear it my girls was tryin' to walk leave you and yours in peace."

"And that's the right truth, ain't mine no mores, just ain't one to see woman folk getting' hurt."

"And what about my cub? 'Iffin they ain't yours what does it matter?" Riddick asked forcefully.

"Leave 'Nara and Kaylee be, ain't fighters ain't had no part in what went down, Zoe's a soldier, you wanna call even take it out on her, she's the one that fired the gorram gun." Jayne answered, Zoe's words to him ringing in his ears making him angry all over again, '_Ain't no good comes from reachin' higher than your worth.'_

"Done." Riddick rumbled and reached down to pick up the scrap of paper.

Jayne nodded, and walked on without a backward glance at the ship that had played at bein' his home for the better part of a decade. Girl was right 'bout that ship, wasn't nothin' more than a pack of lies all prettied up.

Jack bit hard against her lip to keep from screaming out in pain as she pulled herself up into the shaft.

* * *

"Does the cub wish to learn how to disable a ship?" River asked sliding up after Jack with ease.

"They done shot me River," Jack snorted, "I'd like to rig this ship to blow them all off the gorram face of the 'verse."

River shook her head, "An explosion of that magnitude would most likely rupture the hull of the station, putting the girl, the cub, and _their _Riddick all at risk."

"Valid point." Jack admitted and began moving forward in the direction River indicated.

"It is wiser to disable the ship so they may not follow."

"We ain't killin'?"

River shook her head again, "Negative, the keepers played their part well and protected the girl while she was weak, that cannot be forgotten, but a lesson must be learned, they must learn that the girl is not to be caged, she has paid her debt and owes nothing more."

"Seems like killin' would be lesson enough," Jack bitched, bitter over bein' shot and not allowed to kill the fuckin' bitch that did it.

"The cub will be compensated, blood for blood." River promised picking up on her thoughts, "The Riddick comes and sees nothing but rage, the man has stepped aside and the animal has come to play, even if the girl was against it, she could not stop him from claiming what is owed." River felt the cub's mood lift considerably at her answer and couldn't help but smile slightly at the words she knew were coming next.

"'Iffin' you woulda given me guns of my own this wouldn't of happened," Jack pointed out smugly.

"Incorrect assumption, the cub must learn to shoot, had her aim been more accurate this would not have happened."

Jack frowned, River had a point. "Well, 'iffin' we had waited for Riddick like I wanted wouldn't had to shoot."

River did not have an answer, and mentally cringed over the thought of the inevitable confrontation that was awaiting her once they were clean of this current misfortune.

"By the by," Jack added, cringing herself but against the pain of looking over her shoulder, "I'm tellin' him this whole thing was your fault, I was against it from the beginning."

"Traitor." River giggled slightly.

"Nope, survivor," Jack chuckled weakly.

River stopped her from moving further, "This is the exit we wish." River cocked her head to the side and listened for the familiar thought patterns, only opening the vent once she was sure all of the onboard crew were gathered elsewhere, and eased herself out into the cockpit, helping Jack descend as well.

"So what's the plan?" Jack whispered, swaying slightly from the heady combination of smoothers and pain.

"We disconnect the wings from the brain, sever flight controls, make the mother feeble and confused."

"Stupid talk Riv," Jack reminded her again, gingerly cradling her wounded arm, she needed to sit, and obliged herself by flopping into the pilot's chair.

"The cub will rest, while the girl destroys the false peace's ability to maintain her lies."

"Not stupid enough, but I get it, I sit here and die a little, while you break their ship, gotcha." Jack half groaned, the exertions of moving through the shafts catching up with her.

River pushed back a stray strand of Jack's hair from her face, lovingly tucking it behind her ear, she gently kissed the girl's forehead, "The girl is sorry her cub was injured, she will be made whole and well again."

Jack smiled, "Ain't a thing, this is the life I wanted right? Figure it won't be the first scar."

"The probability of the defamation of the cub's flesh is high," River agreed absently, "but she will wear them as the Riddick does, with pride." She finished as she cracked open a paneling beneath the console and disappeared nearly completely into the guts of the console, reemerging a few moments later with a broad satisfied smirk across her face.

"Finished?" Jack asked tiredly.

"Yes, and _our_ Riddick has arrived, it is time to take our payment."

"Finally some fun." Jack pushed herself up from the chair, gratefully accepting River's offered support, "Suppose I'll just be a spectator."

"The girl will insure proper payment is made," River whispered to her quietly.

"Knows you will River."

River couldn't help but beam as she felt Jack's absolute trust and certainty wash over her like a warm rain.

* * *

Access codes in hand Riddick strode onto Serenity as if he owned it, right through the gorram front door, slipping behind a stack of crates as the echo of footsteps bounced off the metal walls.

"Kaylee gorram it when I tell you to sit with the god damn ship I mean it!" Mal barked, halting suddenly when he was greeted by a silent and empty bay. "What the hell?"

"Hatch sensor must be on the fritz 'gain Sir." Zoe answered coming up behind him.

"Swore I heard it though," Simon wondered, and then shrugged it off. "They should be back soon, they had left more than an hour before you returned."

"Sooner we're off this floatin' rock the better." Mal grumbled.

"Couldn't agree more Sir," Zoe nodded.

Silently Riddick moved, placing himself directly above the trio, utterly oblivious to his presence.

"Doc check on our girls make sure they're both still doped up, don't much care for them waking up 'til we're safely in the black."

Riddick snarled from the shadows, _their girls, their mother fucking girls? Thems were __**his, **__and he wanted them back __**now.**_

"What was that?" Mal asked.

"ME." Riddick growled jumping down, "And them girls you got is **mine."** He landed directly behind Zoe who found herself with a shiv to her throat before she had time process somebody had spoken.

Mal swore and had his weapon drawn before his stream of cursing had run its course. "You harm one gorram hair on my first mate's head and I will shoot you down."

Riddick chuckled, licking a bead of sweat which had formed on Zoe's temple, tasting fear, "Way I hear it this bitch put a hole that didn't belong in something that was mine, an eye for an eye Captain Reynolds." He smirked, lowering his shiv towards Zoe shoulder he pushed the blade in.

Zoe cried out in pain, struggling against him and only succeeding in pushing the blade further in.

Mal cocked his weapon. Simon stood slacked jawed unable to process the sudden turn of events as Mal's finger twitched at the trigger the sound of a gunshot drew the attention of all, and four heads jerked up in unison.

"Drop your weapon Malcolm Reynolds." River said coldly, approaching slowly, half supporting the girl Simon had doped up enough to make her sleep for weeks as she closed the distance between them. "Should you choose to pull that trigger the girl will end you."

Riddick growled taking in Jack's wounded condition and pale coloring, "Jackie-girl you with us?"

Jack snorted at the absurdity of his question, but she got the point, was she capable of running on her own when the time came to move, "Been shot Riddick ain't fuckin' dead." She scowled at him, "'Course I'm fuckin' with ya."

Riddick laughed pushing his shiv in deeper. "Your first mistake," Riddick growled low, speaking to close to Zoe's ear, "was comin' for my girl, your second fuckin' mistake, takin' a shot at my fuckin' cub," he paused to again drive the shiv in slowly deeper, "Scream for me girl," he whispered almost seductively in her ear, and she complied almost instantly as she felt the blade tear through the muscles of her shoulder. "Put your gun down boy, 'for I start poking holes in places that won't heal on your girl here Reynolds."

"Nothing but a gorram weapon aren't you girl," Mal growled throwing down his gun.

River smirked, "Malcolm Reynolds is a fool, the girl warned him, she gave him his chance, what did the girl tell him would happened should he use the words, they never listen, never, never ,never. That is why the girl fled, they did not see her, they did not hear her, until they needed her, want and take, how can we use her, how can we make coin from her? The girl heard their thoughts, the girl swallowed it as another bitter pill, she let the Ge-ge poke and prod, let the captain use her, let the first mate blame her, let the sunshine pet her, let the perfumed woman pity her, the girl will not swallow another pill, she will not be poked with another needle, she tires of being owned, of being a pet." She ground out the last few words, her voice once more like ice against glass, the look in her eyes the same the captain had seen in the Maidenhead and for the first time since they had begun the search for the girl Malcolm Reynolds felt a cold wave of fear rush over him.

Another cry of pain refocused their attention.

"That is enough." River told Riddick firmly.

"Ain't girl, bullet went straight through Jack, I'm only half way in," he argued.

Zoe attempted to use Riddick's momentary distraction to her advantage as she made her move for her sidearm. Riddick had not been as distracted as she thought, she realized only too late as the shiv drove in deeper and her wrist was snapped in half, the sickening crack echoing through the hold like manic laughter accompanied by her scream.

Aside from her newly broken wrist, Riddick paid little attention to Zoe's attempted outburst, his gaze still fixated on _his_ girls.

"Mei-mei," Simon said softly.

River whirled on him, but her gun did not leave Mal, "Do not address her so."

"River," His voice was firmer.

"Do not scold her as though she was a child!" River snapped.

Mal had apparently not learned from Zoe's attempt to utilize the trios seeming distractions and took it as a good opportunity to try to speak the phrase.

River fired.

"_Gou neong yung de _(son of a bitch)!" Mal yelled as he clutched his knee cap.

"The girl will not warn you again." River said coldly.

Riddick's laughter echoed throughout the hold, "Shoulda listened the first time Malcolm."

"River this is insanity, look at yourself, look at what you've done, look at what you're allowing to happen?!" Simon yelled at her moving for the captain to help staunch the bleeding.

"To everything thing there is an equal if not greater reaction Simon," River said harshly as if she were correcting an ignorant child, "It is a basic fundamental law, they came for the girl, she warned their messenger to let her fly free, they did not listen, they hunted, they tracked," her voice raised an octave, "they shot her cub, made her sleep, took away her will and chained her into the cage. THEY CHAINED HER. An eye for an eye, the Riddick takes what is owned to our cub, a tooth for a tooth, the captain wished to make the girl sleep, he should thank her that she did not make him sleep, for his there will be no waking up from."

"Merciful Buddha listen to yourself River! There's nothing left of my mei-mei in there!"

"She was weak, the girl has killed her, she is a new kind of animal now."

"So you're going to kill us?!" Simon screamed at her.

"Negative, the Simon is so dramatic," she scoffed at him, "payment has been made, blood for blood, this is the last warning the girl will give them though, should she sense them in the shadows, lying wait in the high grass she will bare her claws and will leave nothing breathing in her wake."

Riddick felt the tip of his blade pierce the skin of Zoe's back and he dropped her to ground after unmercifully ripping the shiv back out of her flesh, planting a quick kick into her ribs for good measure, he leaned down low and close, "'Iffin' I feel you on my ass 'gain woman I will personally skin the flesh from your face, 'fore I kill you." He whispered close, bringing his shiv back to his lips and tasting her blood. "Know you're smell now woman." He rumbled before standing and picking up Mal's discarded weapon.

"You gorram fucking animal!" Mal roared at him, but those were his last words as the butt of his own six shooter was brought down against his temple.

"Man's fucking mouth is worse than yours Jack." Riddick smirked looking up and approaching a trembling Simon.

"Oh fuck you Riddick," Jack snorted, wincing in pain, an action not missed by Riddick who tensed.

"Be finished her in a second girl," he told her more softly than Jack had ever heard him speak, "Get you safely back in the black." His tone changed abruptly as he turned his attention back to the doctor, but River stepped in his path.

"He will not kill the Simon."

"Ain't got no right to stake a claim on you girl," Riddick growled.

"The girl agrees, but the Simon did free her, his intentions have long since been poisoned by bitterness, but the girl cannot fault him in this," she turned to face her brother, "that is why she left him, to give him his freedom as well as her own, he should have not come looking."

"Mei-mei…"

River's face hardened, "Do not address her so."

Simon looked confused, one minute River was angry with him, and the next second compassionate and forgiving, followed blindly by anger once again, her sudden mood shifts only reinforcing his belief his mei-mei was indeed very sick.

"THE GIRL IS NOT CRAZY!" River shouted at him bringing the butt of her own gun down on his temple, knocking him out in the same fashion Riddick had taken down her former captain. Her chest heaved as she stared at his unconscious form, "The girl is reborn." She said quietly.

"The girl," Riddick whispered seductively coming up behind her and running his fingers along the lines of her sides and hips, "is the most beautiful creature in the 'verse, and she's _mine._"

River smiled deeply, her eyes lighting up and shining in pure adoration for the man who now had his arms wrapped around her.

"Hate to break up this little love fest," Jack only half heartedly snapped as she swayed, stumbling against a stack of crates, "But girl's been fuckin' shot over here and she could really fucking use a place to moan in agony for awhile without worryin' 'bout bein' shot, kidnapped, or eaten."

Riddick chuckled, and dropped his hands reluctantly from River's body to scoop Jack up easily, "Come'on kid, found us a ship."

"What about all the new gear?" Jack whined as she felt the black edges of unconsciousness swim against her vision, but the reassuring and comforting beating of his heart she could hear as she rested her head against his chest soothed any and all of her fears and concerns.

"It shall be reacquired." River answered taking her place besides Riddick and smoothing out Jack's hair, "The cub shall not worry on it." She cooed as the trio stepped off the ship, River pausing only a moment to make a face as she wiped the blood off the bottom of one of her boots.

_Six hours later…_

"There's nothing left off her," Simon said quietly to the captain as he sat beside him in the infirmary, Zoe in the second bed sound asleep thanks to the cocktail of smoothers and sedatives he had given her.

"Had a conversation 'bout what to do 'iffin' the girl couldn't be brought back," Mal said, though slightly groggy from his own cocktail of smoothers his wits still remained generally about him.

"Cap' you can't be serious!" Kaylee exclaimed, one hand moving to cover her mouth as she remembered sitting in the mess with the crew after the Maidenhead Incident.

"Ain't likin' it much either little Kaylee, but can't see no other way 'bout it, girl was our responsibility, sometimes hard choices gotta be made."

"What are we talking about?" Inara asked, one hand wrapped in one of the captains.

"They mean to put her down!" Kaylee snapped angrier than she ever remember being, "they mean to shoot down one of our own!"

"Mal!" Inara recoiled away from him horrified, "You can't be serious!" But his expression told her he was and she felt her heart sink into her stomach, tasting revulsion and disbelief.

"You didn't see her," Simon said quietly, "You didn't hear her," his voice cracked slightly, "there's nothing I can do to fix her, that man…that gorram beast… he has destroyed her completely, my mei-mei is dead, and the weapon the Alliance had tried to build has taken her place."

"Simon, she's you're mei-mei!" Kaylee accused her face red, her fist balled up in rage.

"Not anymore," Simon sighed rising wearily from his seat, "Kaylee, she said it herself, called herself an animal, said my sister was dead, I fear there was an alternate personality I missed, she said the girl killed her, I never thought... It is my fault I should have been treating her for Schizophrenia, it appears it is too late."

"Simon, think about this," Inara pleaded, "This is River, she saved us all countless times."

"Yeah and I watched her hold a gun to me while Riddick played fucking pin cushion with Zoe!" Mal snapped, "Watched her shoot me in the knee, and she was the one 'Nara that knocked her own brother out cold."

"What I wanna know," Zoe started hoarsely having woken without notice, "Is how in the gorram hell the girl got free, and how Jayne seemed to jump ship right in the nick of time." Her voice though scratchy was full of bitterness and hatred. "Goddamn merc Mal, that's all he ever was , greed is the creed," she sneered.

"You don't seriously think River offered him money to set her free?" Inara asked, entirely aware this conversation was spinning completely out of control.

There was a responding silence from Simon, the captain, and Zoe.

"_Ni men dou shi sha gua _(you are all idiots)!" Kaylee yelled at them, "Yous talkin' on killin Jayne nows too ain't ya?" She demanded.

"Man don't live that crosses us like he did," Mal said coldly.

"Ain't got the proof." Kaylee argued.

"Not yet," Simon said calmly walking over to the infirmary computer, "but the ship security feeds should tell us how it was done."

"The first sensible thing anyone has said." Inara huffed.

Kaylee and Inara watched the feed in horror, seeing Jayne slip a key and a gun to River after waking her up. Simon, Mal, and Zoe however were not horrified, nor surprised in any manner, the feed had merely confirmed their suspicions and set their resolution.

Jayne Cobb would die for his betrayal, and as for River Tam, none of the three saw it as murder, no, to them it was a mercy, like ending the life of a terminally ill patient. They would be ending the tortured existence of a poor little girl locked deep inside a weapon who would not wish to live if she understood fully all that she had done.

"Soon as I'm capable and the Doc clears me, we'll be off this hellhole of a station, and we do what needs to be done." Mal said.

"I will not be a party to the murder of a child." Inara said rising, "You may drop me on the first landfall, I will find my own way." She finished coldly.

"And you Kaylee?" Mal asked harshly not sparing a glance for the woman he loved.

Kaylee looked to her feet, "Killin' her ain't right cap', ain't a bit of any of this right, Serenity's my girl though, I fly were she flies, don't ask me to hold a gun 'gainst her though, I won't, ain't thinkin' she's too far gone to be saved," a few tears slipped down her cheeks, "Sheppard Book said all of us could be saved."

"Book died for that girl who so easily shot me down Kaylee girl, you member that when the time comes." Mal answered her.

* * *

River giggled madly as Riddick tossed her onto the bed in their bunk on their newly acquired ship. In the bunk across the hall the cub slept, safe and pain free, and so her attention was fully and rightfully so where it belonged at the moment, on the beautiful mercurial blue gaze of _her _Riddick.

"Now on," he growled, "When I say fucking stay you stay girl." His playful gaze turned serious.

River nodded, "The girl is sorry," she whispered, truly repentant as the depth of his fear and worry for them overcame her, nearly bringing her to tears, the Riddick's rage had been nothing compared to his fear, his fear he would come too late, his fear he would never smell _his_ girls, or run his fingers through their hair, hear their voices, or hunt with them again.

"Coulda lost you both," he rumbled low, his mind recalling images of Jack pale and weak leaning feebly against the stack of crates, his lips forming a small smirk as he also remembered the girl had enough strength even then to tell him to fuck off.

River giggled slightly sharing his memory, she stood on her knees on the bed and wrapped her arms around his neck, "The pack fights as one, it is a lesson we have learned well today, the girl loves _her _Riddick and she will never be parted from him."

Riddick did not return the sentiment with words, he had no need to, where his voice was lost, his lips were not and he spent the next several hours reacquainting himself with every inch of _**his**_.

* * *

Jayne dropped his duffels on one side of a booth and plopped down on another, resting Vera gingerly across the table, he signaled the waitress and ordered two whiskeys. The first disappeared directly down his throat, the empty glass slamming back down on the table before the waitress had turned to leave.

"Rough day honey?" She cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Rough couple of years," he grunted.

Eyeing his duffels she nodded in sympathy, "Lost your gig huh?"

"More like told 'em to fuck off," he smirked.

The waitress giggled, "Honey been wantin' to do that to the old _hun dan_ that runs this joint for years, does it feel as good as you hoped it would?"

Jayne actually smiled, thinkin' on the matter for a moment, "Yeah, feels ruttin' damn good." He slammed back the second glass.

"Well whiles I go and get you another I'll let ya in on a little tip, see them two burly lookin' men over at the table in the front."

Jayne looked without lookin' , a skill one develops after a time in his line of work, "Yeah."

"Wells heard tell they was lookin' for another gun hand for their crew on account of their last got shot. You ain't afraid of bein' shot at are ya?"

"Sister, after staring down a whole gorram horde of Reavers a little bullet don't stir much fear."

"Golly Reavers!" She breathed in barely a whisper.

"Ain't as mean as they look," he smirked, eyeing the low cut neckline of the girl's shirt and sittin' up a bit taller, thinkin' he wasn't gonna miss that piece of _gou shi_ scrap metal not one little bit.

**Endnote: JAYNE IS COMING BACK…. SUPER HUGE BIG PINKY SWEARIN' PROMISE ON THAT ONE…**

**On that note lol, hope ya'll enjoyed. Merry Happy Holidays to you and yours may it be safe and everything the songs sing about. I'll try to crank out another update before the New Year but just in case, party like rock stars and ring in it right…much luv to you all, your overwhelming support is mind blowing and I am grateful to you all for finding at least something mildly entertaining about my mindless ramblings.**

'Til After Now


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